LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Parliamentary Questions

John Pugh: To ask the Leader of the House what percentage of questions tabled by hon. Members remained unanswered after a month in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by Department.

Jack Straw: This information is not collected centrally. My Office monitors the performance of Departments in answering questions, but does not hold detailed statistics on a comparable basis. Individual Departments are responsible for keeping their own records on the timeliness of answers and providing this information to the House when requested by the Public Administration Select Committee or through Members' questions.
	The last available figures for my Office relate to the whole of the last session. These show that 100 per cent. of the 188 ordinary written questions tabled were answered within a working week and 100 per cent. of the 71 named day questions tabled were answered on the date specified. No questions remained unanswered after a month.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the England Rural Development Programme 2007-13 promotes higher animal welfare standards; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 23 November 2006,  Official Report, column 156W.

Animal Welfare

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what status in potential court actions the proposed codes relating to welfare of animal species will have under the Animal Welfare Bill.[R]

Ben Bradshaw: The proposed codes relating to welfare of animal species under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are intended primarily to help animal owners and keepers understand the welfare needs of their animals. Failure to comply with a code will not, in itself, constitute an offence. However, evidence of non-compliance with a code may be used by the courts in deciding whether a person has committed an offence under the other provisions of the Act. Similarly, a code could be used by the defence to support any claim of compliance with the Act.

Batteries

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what his most recent estimate is of  (a) the number of batteries used by UK households and  (b) the number of batteries collected for recycling from UK households in each year since 1997, broken down by battery type; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what requirements are made of local authorities to provide facilities for the recycling of batteries; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Recent consultancy work, carried out on behalf of DEFRA, estimates that 24,850 tonnes of household batteries were sold in the UK in 2003. The great majority of these were alkaline manganese and zinc carbon varieties. There has been no legislative requirement for waste household batteries to be separately collected and detailed statistics have not therefore been kept. However, we estimate that various local voluntary schemes have resulted in a capture rate of less than 2 per cent.
	The Batteries and Accumulators Directive (2006/66/EC) came into force on 26 September 2006. Member states have two years to transpose this measure into national law. This is a "producer responsibility" directive and, as such, the onus on collection and recycling will fall on battery producers in the first instance. However, local authorities are also likely to play a role given their current involvement in the collection of household waste. The exact form this may take will not be decided until the completion of formal domestic consultation with all parties concerned.
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is currently working in partnership with a range of local authorities and not-for-profit organisations which already run recycling collection services on a number of pilot battery collection schemes.

Bovine Emissions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of greenhouse gas emissions came from cows in the last period for which figures are available; and what plans he has to reduce such emissions.

Ian Pearson: Agriculture as a whole contributes 7 per cent. of all UK greenhouse gas emissions and 14 per cent. globally. The sector accounts for 36 per cent. of methane and 67 per cent. of nitrous oxide emissions in the UK, but only 1 per cent. of carbon dioxide. About 80 per cent. of this methane comes from enteric fermentation in the digestive system of animals (sheep, pigs and bovines), and 20 per cent. from animal waste. Methane emissions from agriculture have declined by 12 per cent. since 1990.
	Recent research suggests that substantial methane reductions could be achieved by changes to feed regimes. Improving the longevity of dairy cows will also result in decreased methane production as a result of a reduction in the total number of animals needed to produce the same quantity of milk.
	Defra is exploring the role of anaerobic digestion in reducing methane emissions in agriculture, both domestically and internationally. For example, we are taking a leading role in the Methane to Markets Partnership, an international initiative that advances cost-effective, near-term methane recovery and its use as a clean energy source.

Carbon Emissions

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking through the EU to address the carbon outputs of  (a) Luxembourg,  (b) Spain and  (c) Portugal.

Ian Pearson: The UK works closely with the European Commission and other member states to ensure that we are on target to meet our Kyoto Protocol targets.
	The Commission recently announced decisions on the National Allocation Plans for phase II of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme of 10 member states. A number of member states were asked to undertake further work and the Commission is looking for significant further reductions in emissions. The framework under which the decisions have been taken has been set out clearly, which the UK welcomes.
	This framework sets a standard for the National Allocation Plans yet to be submitted and assessed. The Commission has made clear the importance of using the Emissions Trading Scheme to achieve Kyoto targets and to make good use of the available potential for emissions reductions.

Carbon Offsetting

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  which projects are supported by his Department through carbon offsetting schemes; and where each project is located;
	(2)  with which carbon offsetting organisations his Department has contracts.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 4 December 2006
	DEFRA is taking the lead on offsetting emissions associated with the UK's presidency of the G8 in 2005, to help ensure that the presidency is carbon-neutral. All of last year's G8-associated meetings, including the G8 summit, were included in the DEFRA-led carbon offsetting initiative. The calculations included the emissions associated with air travel, local transport, energy use at venues and accommodation, and waste production.
	To offset these emissions, the Government have agreed to purchase 10,000 Certified Emission Reductions from the Kuyasa low-income housing energy upgrade project in Cape Town, South Africa. This is the first Clean Development Mechanism project to be registered in Africa, and the first Gold Standard project to be registered anywhere in the world.
	DEFRA is also responsible for administering the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund, which offsets all official and ministerial air travel of all central Government Departments (except the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which have their own offsetting schemes). Proceeds from the Fund will be used to purchase Certified Emission Reduction credits from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that are based in developing countries and accredited under the Clean Development Mechanism. The organisations and specific projects that will be involved will be finalised soon and more details will be included in an announcement to be made shortly.

Carbon Sequestration

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with farming organisations on the use of farmland for carbon sequestration.

Ian Pearson: While carbon sequestration by forestry is a useful tool for offsetting some greenhouse gas emissions, sequestration in cropland and pasture through new management practices is less certain. This is because new management practices have to be followed for a substantial period of time in order to record additional carbon storage. Also, several years of stored carbon could be released by a change of practice in just one season.
	A more important issue is protecting the 10 billion tonnes of carbon held in UK soils, especially upland peat soils, from release through soil erosion and inappropriate management practices such as over-grazing. For example, allowing the peat soils of the High Peak to dry out would alone release carbon equivalent to 270 million vehicle miles.
	Defra is undertaking research to understand fully the issues on sequestration and protection of carbon stores. We are considering how to ensure agri-environment measures address this problem and are engaging with stakeholders, notably through the Rural Climate Change Forum, to ensure full understanding between the Government and industry on this problem.

Cetaceans

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the Common Fisheries Policies on cetaceans; and what mitigation measures are currently under discussion at EU level.

Ben Bradshaw: European Council Regulation (EC) 812/2004 lays down measures concerning incidental catches of cetaceans in fisheries. The Regulation makes the use of acoustic deterrent devices ("pingers") mandatory for vessels over 12 meters in length, involved in fixed-gear fisheries in the Celtic Sea Channel and Western Waters. It also sets up mandatory observer schemes to increase our knowledge of by-catch in fisheries.
	Unfortunately, there has been a delay in implementing pingers because studies of their effectiveness, costs and availability indicate that there are currently no devices suitable for use. A discussion was held at a Council Working Group on 27 September which recognised that, because of deployment problems in certain fisheries, some member states could not currently implement pingers as required. However, the group recommended that member states should continue work towards developing a suitable pinger.

Climate Change

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provision he expects to make for pre-legislative scrutiny of the Climate Change Bill.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 4 December 2006
	We are determined to promote the widest possible debate, in the Houses of Parliament and across the country, about the contents of the Climate Change Bill. This will ensure that all views are taken into consideration when the terms of the Bill are drafted.

Climate Change

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which officials represented the Government at the recent United Nations climate change talks in Nairobi; and what assessment he has made of the outcome of the talks.

Ian Pearson: The UK delegation to the twelfth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the second session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto protocol, in Nairobi, was led by the Secretary of State. It also included officials from DEFRA, the Department for Trade and Industry, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development, the Scottish Executive and Her Majesty's Treasury.
	The conference took important steps forward in the battle against climate change. However, greater urgency and momentum need to be injected into the international negotiations to secure a global agreement that builds on the first Kyoto commitment period, which ends in 2012, and ensures there is no gap between commitment periods.
	In addition, I refer the hon. Member to the statement by the Secretary of State on 21 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 38-39WS.

Department Staff

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in his Department work in  (a) environment,  (b) agriculture,  (c) rural affairs and  (d) food.

Barry Gardiner: The number of staff (in full-time equivalents) in the policy areas of the Department as at 31 October was as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Animal Health and Welfare 587 
			 Environment 693 
			   
			 Living Land and Seas 447 
			  of which:  
			 Rural Policy 102 
			 Wildlife and Countryside 199 
			   
			 Sustainable Farming and Food 664 
			  of which:  
			 Sustainable Farming Strategy 117 
			 Sustainable Food Chain 339 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide a breakdown of numbers precisely into the areas requested.

Department Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether people employed  (a) through employment agencies and  (b) on a consultancy basis are included in the calculations for the full-time equivalent staff mentioned in his Department's annual report.

Barry Gardiner: People employed through employment agencies and on a consultancy basis are not included in the calculations for the full-time equivalent staff mentioned in the Department's annual report as they are not members of DEFRA staff.

Departmental Finance

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's  (a) budget and  (b) outturn expenditure was in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 November 2006,  Official Report, column 704W.

Departmental Funding Deficit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his intervention of 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 721, if he will give further details of the  (a) accounting changes and  (b) pressures of previous years which have contributed £65 million and between £70 million to £80 million respectively to his Department's funding deficit of £200 million.

Barry Gardiner: The accounting changes arose from clarification and application of Treasury consolidated budgeting guidance rules. This guidance set out constraints over movements between sub-control totals within departmental resource budgets.
	The pressures from previous years have been previously summarised. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 November 2006,  Official Report, column 730W.

EU Emissions Trading

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with farming organisations on the impact on farmers of the introduction of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Ian Pearson: The agricultural sector is not covered under the present EU Emissions Trading Scheme, and so is not directly affected by it.
	However, as part of the Government's commitment in the UK Climate Change Programme 2006, we will examine the scope and feasibility of a market-based mechanism. This will need to be compatible with our aspirations for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, to facilitate trading of greenhouse gas reductions from agriculture and other land management sectors.

Farming Food Collaboration Partnerships

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance has been given by the Department to farming food collaboration partnerships over the last financial year, broken down by partnership.

Barry Gardiner: Farming and food enterprises are eligible for various types of assistance from DEFRA. For the most part, it is not possible to distinguish between those enterprises in receipt of assistance which have a collaborative or co-operative business structure, and other business types.
	DEFRA also provides indirect assistance to collaborative enterprises through its support for English Farming and Food Partnerships (EFFP). The aim of EFFPs is to make collaboration work through the growth of market-focused and professionally run farmer-controlled businesses. They also develop co-operation and partnership activities between farmers and the rest of the supply chain.

Genetically Modified Potatoes

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to grant a trial for genetically modified potatoes in England; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: We have recently granted a consent, to the company BASF, to conduct research trials of a genetically modified blight-resistant potato. The trials will start in 2007 and take place at two sites in England; one in Derbyshire and one in Cambridgeshire. The independent Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) has confirmed that these trials do not give rise to any health or environmental concerns. The statutory consent details and ACRE's advice are available on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/regulation/consents/index.htm

Harbour Porpoises

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on the protection of harbour porpoises under the Habitation Directive in 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The Department has had no direct discussions with the European Commission regarding protection of harbour porpoises. However, harbour porpoises are a European Protected Species and we are committed to their conservation.
	We consider the impacts of all marine developments on harbour porpoise. For example, my Department's Marine Consents and Environment Unit is currently assessing the potential risk to porpoises in relation to an application for a licence pertaining to the construction of an offshore wind-farm in Swansea Bay.
	We are also contributing to the development of a harbour porpoise recovery plan for the North Sea through the Agreement on Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Sea.

Inspectors

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many of the inspectors employed by his Department on animal welfare and animal aspects of cross-compliance are  (a) qualified and  (b) not qualified as veterinary surgeons;
	(2)  how many inspectors are  (a) engaged and  (b) employed by his Department to carry out cross-compliance inspections.

Barry Gardiner: Responsibility for cross-compliance inspections is divided between the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), the state veterinary service (SVS) and the Environment Agency (EA).
	The RPA employs over 260 multi-skilled farm inspectors who carry out livestock identification checks which involve physical ear-tag reading in the presence of the livestock handler. Veterinary training is not required. However, all RPA inspectors have had training and experience in working safely with livestock, and animal welfare issues form part of their training.
	The SVS has over 200 qualified veterinary surgeons and a similar number of technical staff. Technical staff carry out cross-compliance inspections regarding restrictions on the use of substances that have a hormonal or thyrostatic action and beta-agonists on farm animals. Responsibility for cross-compliance inspections on the control of animal diseases lies mainly with veterinary staff, although they are assisted by technical staff. Inspections for animal welfare requirements, which come into force in 2007, will be carried out by veterinary staff.
	The Environment Agency is responsible for carrying out inspections in relation to groundwater, sewage sludge and nitrate vulnerable zones. Approximately 170 appropriately trained inspectors have undertaken work on cross-compliance as part of their duties.

Local Authorities: Consultants

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the 10 top performing councils have spent on external  (a) advisers,  (b) lawyers and  (c) consultants in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is not collected centrally.

Local Government Finance

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will investigate the extent to which fines levied on county councils in two-tier authority areas are passed on to and paid by district councils; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Assuming the hon. Member's question relates to the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, no penalties have been imposed to date under this scheme. All waste disposal authorities in England met their obligations in 2005-06 to landfill, and were within the limits of the allowances they held.
	More generally, DEFRA has no plans to investigate the extent to which penalties levied on county councils in two-tier authority areas are passed on to, and paid by, district councils.

Migrant Workers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effect of central and eastern European migrant workers on UK agriculture.

Barry Gardiner: Migrant workers from countries which acceded to the EU in May 2004 have made a significant contribution to UK agriculture. According to the Government's Accession Monitoring Report, between May 2004 and September 2006, 56,230 workers from the new member states registered under the Workers Registration Scheme to work in agriculture. Many of these took up jobs which UK farmers and growers have traditionally found hard to fill.
	Bulgaria and Romania accede to the EU on 1 January 2007. From that date preference for places on the two low-skilled migration schemes for non-EU workers (the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme and the Sectors Based Scheme) will be given to Bulgarian and Romanian nationals, subject to a cap on the combined existing quota of 20,000. It is anticipated that Bulgarian and Romanian workers will also play an important role in addressing the recruitment difficulties experienced by farmers and growers.

Pesticides

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) has been formally notified of cases of illegal trade in plant protection products in each of the last three years; and on how many occasions such notification led to enforcement action being taken by the PSD.

Ian Pearson: There is no formal procedure for notifying cases of "illegal" parallel imports of plant protection products. However, PSD has, since November 2003, been informed of and investigated 23 cases involving parallel imports as shown:
	
		
			   Number of cases  Number of cases where enforcement action taken  Notes 
			 2003 1 1 1 November 2003 to 31 December 2003 
			 2004 4 2 — 
			 2005 12 5 — 
			 2006 6 — 1 January 2006 to 30 November 2006 
		
	
	Enforcement action has or is being taken in eight cases and a further six cases are still under investigation pending possible enforcement action. Enforcement action has not been taken in nine cases because of lack of evidence of an offence basis.

Renewable Energy

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much energy consumed by his Department is acquired from renewable sources.

Barry Gardiner: The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs currently acquires 62.3 per cent. of its electricity from certified renewable sources.

River Thames: Sewage

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much his Department plans to spend on an additional two prototype boats to skim River Thames sewage; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the maximum capacity is in litres of sewage which the planned prototype River Thames boats will be able to skim per day; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 4 December 2006
	DEFRA does not hold this information. Thames Water is in the process of developing prototype boats to skim off in-river sewage—derived litter. Therefore, the cost and maximum capacity of the vessels is a matter for Thames Water.

Rural Stress Information Network

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding was allocated to the Rural Stress Information Network in 2005-06; and how much it will receive in 2006-07.

Barry Gardiner: The Rural Stress Information Network (RSIN) acts as DEFRA's agent in administering the Rural Stress Action Plan. Separately, they receive funding for projects under the plan. The following table sets out the amounts in 2005-07.
	
		
			   Project (£)  Administration (£) 
			 2005-06 36,697 16,436 
			 2006-07 10,000 2,745 
		
	
	In addition, RSIN received £20,000 in extra funds from DEFRA in early 2006 to boost rural support organisations in their capacity to deal with issues arising from the delays in payment to farmers under the Single Payment Scheme.

Single Payment Scheme

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the process is for considering payments under the single farm payment regime to farmers who have holdings in England and Scotland; and when such farmers will receive their payment awards.

Barry Gardiner: Farmers are advised to complete an English SPS application in respect of their English land details, and the relevant devolved paying agency SPS application form in respect of any land that lies in another region. Guidance also states that both claims should be sent together to the paying agency where most of the land lies. This paying agency will also be responsible for making the single payment.
	Once the application forms have been received by the paying agency they enter all the land parcel details on the system, and then forward the non-English application to the other UK paying agency so the details can be validated. This agency will then validate the application and inform the processing Department/agency of the results.
	Once all the claim has been validated and the payment window is open the claim will be paid.

Single Payment Scheme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how his Department calculated the figure of £131 million for contingent liabilities in its 2005-06 accounts for errors and procedural mistakes in administering the single payment scheme.

Barry Gardiner: A full disclosure of the potential financial risk attached to any errors and procedural mistakes in administering the Single Payment Scheme are set out in DEFRA's resource accounts for 2005-06 as laid before Parliament on 30 October 2006.

Suckler Cows Scheme

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what EU guidance his Department bases its policy for managing breaches of the 5 per cent. heifer rule under the Suckler Cow Scheme 2003.

Barry Gardiner: The requirement to maintain a minimum of 5 per cent. heifers within a claim under the Suckler Cow Premium Scheme (SCPS) is contained within Council Regulation (EC) No. 1512/2001 which amends Council Regulation No. 1254/1999.
	Article 1(6) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1512/2001, which amends Council Regulation No. 1254/1999, sets out the minimum heifer percentage for scheme year 2003:
	"However, for the years 2002 and 2003, the number of heifers to be kept shall be equal to at least 15 per cent. of the total number of animals for which the premium is requested.
	In the United Kingdom, the obligation to keep a minimum number of heifers is not applicable in 2002 and is limited to 5 per cent. in 2003."
	If a claimant fails to meet the minimum heifer percentage, then the number of animals on which premium can be paid is reduced. This is in accordance with Article 36 (1) of Commission Regulation (EC) 2419/2001, which states that
	"Where an individual limit or individual ceiling is applicable, the number of animals shown in the aid applications shall be reduced to the limit or ceiling set for the farmer concerned."
	In order to ensure uniform implementation of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2419/2001, working document AGRI 49530/2002 and its accompanying Additional Information Notes (AIN) 1 to 6 were issued by Commission Services. AIN 6 describes how to manage cases where the foreseen split between cows and heifers is not respected.

Suckler Cows Scheme

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on which date his Department first received guidance from  (a) the European Commission and  (b) other EU agencies on how to manage breaches of the 5 per cent. heifer rule under the Suckler Cow Scheme 2003.

Barry Gardiner: Council Regulation (EC) No. 1512/2001, which set out the minimum heifer percentage for 2003, is dated 23 July 2001 and came into force on 1 January 2002.
	Working document AGRI 49530/2002 and its accompanying additional information notes were distributed at the IACS experts group meeting held in Brussels on 2 May 2002. Commission services later issued a slightly amended revision; AGRI 49530/2002-Rev.1 is dated 21 November 2002.

Tail Docking

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will set up a working party on tail docking when the consultation is completed.

Ben Bradshaw: There are no plans to set up such a group. We intend to lay the regulations before Parliament immediately after the consultation responses have been considered. This is to ensure that they are brought into force in line with section six of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which bans tail docking with an exemption for working dogs.
	The main principles of the ban on tail docking were thoroughly debated in Parliament and decided by a free vote of hon. Members during the passage of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The regulations will be made via the affirmative procedure and will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny in both Houses.

Trees

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of how many trees were planted in each region of England in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: Information on the number of trees planted in each region is not collected. However, we do know the area of woodland created and the area restocked after felling that has been grant aided by the Forestry Commission and the area of woodland creation and restocking carried out by the Forestry Commission itself. These figures are given in the following tables. In addition planting is carried out in connection to development and by a large range of bodies, including the voluntary sector and local government.
	
		
			  Grant aided woodland creation claims paid in financial year (area in hectares) 
			  Region  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 East of England 420 425 283 315 368 
			 East Midlands 569 584 626 725 575 
			 London 29 8 2 6 0 
			 North East 466 469 416 537 324 
			 North West 279 359 519 647 413 
			 South East 619 469 431 469 244 
			 South West 1,292 1,306 832 781 473 
			 West Midlands 288 487 504 590 177 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 361 486 381 588 302 
		
	
	
		
			  Grant aided woodland restocking claims paid in financial year (area in hectares) 
			  Region  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 East of England 50 80 48 49 31 
			 East Midlands 90 72 31 71 35 
			 London 2 0 3 0 0 
			 North East 151 125 131 147 170 
			 North West 66 120 175 162 125 
			 South East 149 158 89 90 60 
			 South West 156 188 141 104 48 
			 West Midlands 85 118 74 92 45 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 200 102 64 128 78 
		
	
	
		
			  Forestry Commission woodland creation planting year (September to August) area in hectares 
			  Region  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 ( 1) 2005-06 
			 East of England 0 12 0 0 0 
			 East Midlands 120 229 155 159 0 
			 London 0 107 29 0 0 
			 North East 55 10 1 6 10 
			 North West 115 222 0 0 5 
			 South East 0 0 0 0 0 
			 South West 23 12 7 3 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 0 0 0 0 0 
			 (1 )Figure to 31 March 2006, not complete planting year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Forestry Commission woodland restocking planting year (September to August) area in hectares 
			  Region  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 ( 1) 2005-06 
			 East of England 322 251 175 240 217 
			 East Midlands 89 182 54 152 12 
			 London 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North East 965 874 599 780 657 
			 North West 258 283 207 190 201 
			 South East 115 166 84 70 80 
			 South West 339 302 252 225 175 
			 West Midlands 239 104 118 59 71 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 131 118 140 117 53 
			 (1 )Figure to 31 March 2006, not complete planting year.

UK Pesticides Campaign

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requests he has received from Georgina Downs of the UK Pesticides Campaign for a meeting since May 2006; whether he intends to have such a meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 4 December 2006
	Requests from Ms Downs for a meeting were received by the Secretary of State and Lord Rooker on 6 and 15 May 2006 respectively. Lord Rooker replied to both letters on 7 June stating that as Minister responsible for pesticides he would meet with Ms Downs in due course and this meeting took place on 31 July 2006. A further request from Ms Downs for a meeting was received by the Secretary of State on 13 September and a response declining this invitation was sent by the Secretary of State on 3 October. Ms Downs had also met with Lord Bach, who was previously responsible for pesticides, on 18 July 2005 and 11 January 2006.
	Neither the Secretary of State nor Lord Rooker have current plans for a meeting with Ms Downs.

Warm Front

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guarantees are offered to householders who have had new central heating systems installed by the EAGA group under the Warm Front grants scheme.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 4 December 2006
	Under the Warm Front scheme, gas central heating installations and gas replacement boilers receive two years' breakdown cover and two annual service visits.
	Gas repairs that cost more than £250 receive two years' breakdown cover and two annual service visits. Gas repairs that cost less than £250 are subject to a one year cover from the contracted installer.
	Oil central heating and electric systems are subject to a one year cover from the contracted installer.

Warm Front

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average length of time was between submission of an application for a warm front grant and the relevant works being completed in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 4 December 2006
	From June 2005 to October 2006, the average time across England for a warm front survey to take place, after initial contact was made by the applicant, was 14 working days.
	The average time for completion of applications where heating work was required, from initial contact to all measures being installed, was 95 working days.
	The average time for completion of applications where only insulation was required, from initial contact to measures being installed, was 48 working days.

Warm Front

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to ensure that householders who have received warm front grants are entitled to a fully itemised list of all works completed.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 4 December 2006
	When a household is recommended for energy efficiency measures under warm front, the householder will initially receive an indication, from a scheme manager assessor, of those measures that could potentially be carried out.
	The contractor appointed to undertake the work will then perform a full survey and provide the warm front scheme manager with a list of required materials, and an indication of the labour requirements to undertake the work.
	Upon the householder's request, the scheme manager will provide a fully itemised list of all the works to be undertaken and the total cost of these works. For commercial confidentiality reasons, individual material prices are not shared.

Waste Management

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of  (a) waste minimisation schemes and  (b) the Real Nappy Programme in encouraging people to produce less waste;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the Real Nappy Campaign on  (a) long-term changes in consumer purchasing behaviour in relation to nappies and  (b) general consumer behaviour.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 30 November 2006
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) recently published an Achievement Report. This included details of progress made on minimising waste through composting, reusable nappies, and in the retail sector. Progress made included:
	(i) signing up 92 per cent. of UK grocery retailers to the Courtauld Commitment to reduce packaging and food waste
	(ii) recruiting an additional 335,000 households as home composters
	(iii) diverting 22,954 tonnes of biodegradable nappy waste from landfill.
	The Report is available from the WRAP website at:
	http://www.wrap.org.uk/wrap_corporate/about_wrap/wraps.html.
	As WRAP's work on reusable nappies started in 2003, it is too early to say what long-term changes there have been in consumer behaviour. The challenge in relation to reusable nappies, because of the convenience of disposable nappies, was recognised from the outset. I understand that WRAP will be preparing a report on lessons learnt from the campaign in the spring of 2007.
	Each of the elements of WRAP's work on waste minimisation has produced valuable experience of how to influence consumer behaviour in making choices which reduce the amount of waste created.

Waste Management

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's estimate is of how long existing landfill sites in England will be able to meet waste disposal needs.

Ben Bradshaw: There is sufficient landfill capacity in England to meet current waste disposal needs. Future capacity is difficult to predict. However, a number of Government policies are designed to significantly reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.
	More challenging waste targets, progressively lower landfill limits and the escalating landfill tax will all help the UK to move away from its reliance on landfill. These measures will also encourage more sustainable waste management through greater reduction, reuse and recycling.

Water Services: Kent

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what impact the decision to allow Folkestone and Dover Water Services to require households to have water meters has had on  (a) the number of households with water meters installed and  (b) the volume of water used; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Following Folkestone and Dover Water Services' successful application for water scarcity status, determined on 1 March 2006, the company is able to compulsorily meter its customers for the 10-year period from 1 April 2006. The company plans to begin using these additional powers from January 2007, so there has been no impact on the number of households metered or the volume of water used, as yet.
	During 2005-06, Folkestone and Dover Water Services installed 1,441 optional household meters and 2,108 selective household meters. Ofwat reported that by the end of the 2005-06 reporting year, 45.7 per cent. of the company's households were metered.
	The impact of the decision to grant water scarcity status to Folkestone and Dover Water Services on the number of households with water meters will be reported to Ofwat for the first full year of reporting in June 2007. The information will be published in Ofwat's annual report "Security of supply, leakage and water efficiency" next year. The company plans to have 90 per cent. of its households metered by the end of the 10-year period.
	The company estimates that metering households can reduce their water usage by up to 15 per cent.

TRANSPORT

A15

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to support the dualling of the A15 east trunk road between Glinton and Gunthorpe, east of Peterborough; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The A15 between Glinton and Gunthorpe is not a trunk road and so is the responsibility of Peterborough city council as local highway authority. Their second Local Transport Plan, published in March 2006, currently being assessed by the Department for Transport, proposes incremental improvements beginning with dualling the section between junction 21 (Gunthorpe) and junction 20 (Werrington). The Department for Communities and Local Government announced approval on 3 August 2006 of Growth Area Funds to the sum of £5.85 million for this work. The target date for completion is March 2008.

A630: Repairs and Maintenance

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans  (a) to resurface and  (b) to remove the subsidence on the A630 Sheffield Parkway between the city of Sheffield and the M1 motorway.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 16 October 2006,  Official Report, column 913W.

Aviation

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many aircraft movements there have been into and out of  (a) Southampton,  (b) Gatwick,  (c) Heathrow and  (d) Farnborough airports in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Information on aircraft movements into and out of Southampton, Gatwick and Heathrow in each of the last ten years is published in table 3.2 of the publication "UK Airports Statistics: 2005" which can be found on the Civil Aviation Authority's website:
	www.caa.co.uk/statistics
	Data for Farnborough airport are not available.

Aviation

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual number of aircraft movements over Basingstoke has been in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. If the hon. Member writes to the chief executive of National Air Traffic Services Ltd., they will provide the information requested.

Aviation

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what altitude commercial aircraft are permitted to fly over Basingstoke; whether this has changed in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The base of controlled airspace over Basingstoke is 5,500 feet. Commercial aircraft flying within controlled airspace under the control of NATS would be above this level. There have been no changes to the vertical dimensions in this portion of controlled airspace within the last 10 years.
	Commercial aircraft may also operate outside controlled airspace below 5,500 feet. Such traffic may use one of the aerodromes in the vicinity of Basingstoke including Farnborough, Blackbushe and Lasham. Commercial aircraft arriving at Farnborough, for example, would be at least 1,800 feet in the vicinity of Basingstoke.
	Aircraft may not fly below 1,000 feet over built up areas without written permission from the CAA. The minimum height was changed from 1,500 feet in 2005 after extensive consultation by the CAA.

Blue Badges

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many blue badges for children under two years old have been authorised by local authorities in England in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  whether local authorities have discretion in issuing blue badges to children under two years old.

Gillian Merron: Under the regulations governing the Blue Badge Scheme in England local authorities are not authorised to issue blue badges to children under the age of two. This rule was introduced in 1983 and there are no exemptions to that rule.
	However, following a comprehensive review of the Blue Badge Scheme, we accepted a recommendation from our statutory advisers, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), to extend eligibility to children under two whose medical needs require the transport of bulky, essential medical equipment. This change, along with a number of others, requires amendments to secondary legislation and we are hoping to consult on draft regulations in the near future.

Drink-driving

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for a Christmas drink-driving campaign; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: For details of the Department's THINK! Christmas drink-drive campaign, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the hon. Member for Colchester (Bob Russell) on 21 November 2006,  Official Report, column 38W.

Exhaust Emissions: Dartford

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department collects on pollution levels in the vicinity of the toll booths on the Dartford-Thurrock crossing, broken down by  (a) hour of the day,  (b) month and  (c) season.

Stephen Ladyman: An annual survey of air quality in the toll booths is carried out. However the results are not broken down by  (a) hour of the day,  (b) month and  (c) season.
	The results of this annual survey are compared with the Health and Safety Executive's Occupational Exposure Standards (OES). The most recent survey, completed in August 2006, showed that all the results achieved the OES.

Foreign Hauliers

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms are in place to ensure that foreign hauliers contribute towards the environmental costs of their work in the UK.

Stephen Ladyman: We are taking forward plans for distance-based lorry charging as part of our wider work on national road pricing. Road pricing has the potential to reflect the wider costs which lorries impose in the UK, especially congestion costs.
	All EU registered lorries operating in the UK have to pay at least the EU prescribed minimum levels of fuel duty and vehicle excise duty, thus contributing towards the costs which they impose.

Heathrow Airport

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to hold a public consultation on  (a) a third runway and  (b) ending runway alteration at Heathrow airport; when he expects such consultations to take place; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: We plan to consult next year on possible further development of Heathrow, following completion of our assessment of the environmental impacts. The consultation will address the impacts of a third runway. In the Air Transport White Paper we supported this in principle, provided key conditions can be met. Consultation will also cover the scope for greater utilisation of the two existing runways, which would involve loss of runway alternation.

Helicopter Noise

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what representations he has received on helicopter noise; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to undertake a review of helicopter movements and noise in London in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what plans he has to implement those recommendations of the London Assembly's recent Environmental Committee Report, 'London in a Spin—A review of helicopter noise,' which fall within his responsibilities; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department receives complaints from time to time about the noise arising from helicopter operations, particularly in the summer months.
	The London Assembly Environment Committee's report "London in a spin—A review of helicopter noise" was received with interest by the Department. The Department has no immediate plans to regulate helicopters more closely. The recommendations in the report are substantial and I will be meeting with representatives of the Committee in December to discuss these further.

Lorries

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking in response to the findings of the first phase of the study it commissioned into wheel loss; and when his Department intends to commission phase 2 of the study.

Stephen Ladyman: Following the completion of phase 1 of the wheel loss study (which looked at the scale of the problem and current operator practices), we have published the report and are sharing it with the operating industry. We shall also present it to the group of international experts at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe meeting in February 2007.
	A further phase of research is planned. Department for Transport officials are currently finalising the specification for this. Allowing time to complete the specification and for the tendering process, I would expect the contract to be awarded early in 2007.

M6

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his proposal for M6 widening between junctions 11A and 19 will be subject to a carbon dioxide assessment over a 60-year period before entering into the Targeted Programme of Improvements.

Stephen Ladyman: The M6 widening (11a to 19) scheme is being appraised using DFT's recently modified standard Transport Analysis Guidance which requires the change in carbon emissions over a 60-year period to be estimated.

M6

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent evaluation he has made of the  (a) environmental and  (b) economic effects of his Department's plans to widen the M6 between junctions 11A and 19.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency is continuing to develop the option to widen the M6 between junctions 11a and 19 following the announcement in July 2006 that further work should focus solely on this rather than the Expressway concept. As part of this development work, further evaluation of the environmental and economic effects of the plans is being undertaken to enable the scheme to be considered for programme entry. Statutory environmental organisations will be consulted in due course as part of this process.

Railways

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to investigate the feasibility of establishing new railway stations in areas of significant growth in residential housing in the east of England; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The Department for Transport will consider any proposals for new stations associated with new developments. Any proposal would require an approved business case and agreement with Network Rail that additional stops on the route could be accommodated. In the majority of cases, it would be expected that third parties would fund the costs.

Railways

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the connection arrangements will be for West Coast Main Line passengers wishing to travel on to European destinations by Eurostar trains from November 2007.

Tom Harris: Virgin Trains are currently in discussions with Eurostar with a view to offering integrated ticketing to West Coast Main Line passengers wishing to travel onto European destinations, and vice versa. There will also be appropriate signage and directions in place for passengers wishing to interchange between Euston and St. Pancras stations, either on foot, by public transport or by taxi.

Railways

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with Network Rail on the restoration of the direct rail link between Skipton and Colne.

Tom Harris: The Department has had no discussions with Network Rail on the restoration of a direct rail link between Colne and Skipton.

Railways

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department has taken account of EU procurement rules in retaining the services of a company to act as an operator of the last resort in the event of franchise failure.

Tom Harris: The Strategic Rail Authority awarded a contract in July 2004 to procure specialist advice in connection with "Operator of Last Resort" activity following a competition under one of its framework agreements. The framework agreement was let in full compliance with EU procurement rules. The contract was subsequently transferred to the Department in July 2005 when it assumed the authority's responsibilities.

Railways

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department employs  (a) consultancies and  (b) other companies on a regular basis to provide advice on the Department's responsibility when acting as an operator of the last resort in the event of franchise failure.

Tom Harris: The Department has a retainer-based contract with First Class Partnerships relating to the procurement of specialist advice in connection with the Secretary of State's duties as "Operator of Last Resort". It also procures other external specialist advice as and when necessary.

Railways

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department pays a retainer to companies to act as an operator of the last resort in the event of franchise failure; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The Department has a retainer-based contract with one company—First Class Partnerships—relating to the procurement of specialist advice in connection with the Secretary of State's duties as "Operator of Last Resort".

Railways

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis he has agreed rail fare increases in the next calendar year; whether such rises were factored into recent franchise negotiations; and if he will link future fare increases to the rate of inflation.

Tom Harris: Rail fares are set by train operators, not by Government. Fares which are regulated must be set within the limits laid down by fares regulation, which restricts annual average increases to inflation + 1 per cent. Other fares are a commercial matter for the operator concerned. Bids for franchises will take into account both the restrictions imposed by fares regulation and the bidders' views of how the train service can best be developed, priced and marketed.

Railways

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the socio-economic profile of passenger use of the railways and its effects on the structuring of fares.

Tom Harris: The Department for Transport's National Rail Travel Survey has collected data on who uses the railways, where, when and for what purposes. The survey was completed last year and covered rail travel across Great Britain. The results will be available early in 2007 and will enable some socio-economic analysis of rail users.

Road Accidents

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the  (a) A10,  (b) A406,  (c) A40,  (d) M4,  (e) M25,  (f) A1,  (g) A103,  (h) A105,  (i) A503,  (j) A109,  (k) A1055,  (l) A41,  (m) A1010,  (n) A504 and  (o) A1201 have been closed as a result of (i) accidents involving heavy goods vehicles and (ii) other accidents in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: Within the Greater London Authority (GLA), Transport for London and the London boroughs are responsible for the majority of the road network.
	The following table gives available information on closures for those roads within or surrounding the GLA area for which the Highways Agency is responsible.
	
		
			   Closures due to accidents involving HGVs  Closures due to other accidents 
			  Road  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 M4 — — 3 2 1 — — 10 15 0 
			 M4 Spur — — 0 0 1 — — 0 3 1 
			 A1 — — 0 0 0 — — 1 3 0 
			 M25 — — 93 140 15 — — 126 179 27 
			  Note: Information is given only for those stretches of road within the GLA boundary except for the M25 where information is given for the whole route including A282, Dartford Crossing and the Heathrow Spur. 
		
	
	Closures also result from incidents such as spillages and breakdowns. The figures shown within the table do not include these, as they are not defined as accidents.

Roads

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total construction cost was of each Design, Build, Finance and Operate road; what the expected total cost of each contract is to public funds; and by what year all such costs are expected to have been paid in each case.

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total construction cost was of each Design, Build, Finance and Operate road; what the expected total cost of each contract is to public funds; and by what year all such costs are expected to have been paid in each case.

Stephen Ladyman: The construction cost of a Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract is the responsibility of the DBFO company. This is an important part of the risk transfer in this type of project, which gives the Department cost certainty in relation to construction costs. However, the Department and the Highways Agency monitor trends in road construction costs and take account of them in planning the forward programme.
	Unlike conventional road improvement contracts, the costs associated with DBFO contracts are not just for the construction work but also cover the maintenance and management of the associated road network over a typical period of thirty years. The actual cost of construction is a matter for each DBFO Company.
	The following table gives the expected total cost of Unitary Charges for each contract and the year in which the payments end. These payments cover the cost of constructing the road improvements and also maintaining the road network covered by the contract over the contract period.
	
		
			  Project  Expected total cost (£ million)  Year payments end 
			 A1 Darrington to Dishforth 1,161.072 2036 
			 A1 (M) Alconbury to Peterborough 1,122.93 2026 
			 A19 Dishforth to Tyne Tunnel 827.91 2027 
			 A249 Stockbury (M2) to Sheerness 331.313 2034 
			 A30/A35 Exeter to Bere Regis 569.28 2026 
			 A417/A419Swindonto Gloucester 612.65 2026 
			 A50 Stoke to Derby 234.54 2026 
			 A69 Carlisle to Newcastle 295.47 2026 
			 M1-A1 Lofthouse to Bramham 1,271.83 2026 
			 M40 Denham to Warwick 1,128.36 2027 
		
	
	The Secretary of State has asked Mike Nichols, Chairman of the Nichols Group, to review the Highways Agency approach to cost estimating and project management, and to make recommendations, including on how the agency should best assess, monitor and report on risks to its costs estimates. He will report shortly.

Roads

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what lower cost alternatives to the Heysham M6 link (Northern route) Lancashire County Council has put forward to his Department.

Gillian Merron: Lancashire County Council's Major Scheme Business Case for the Heysham to M6 Link, submitted in July 2005, included details of the Western Route as the Next Best Option and online improvements to the existing highway network as the Lower Cost Option. Department for Transport officials have requested additional information from the Council clarifying the work carried out on alternative options.

Transport Accidents

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving  (a) trains,  (b) buses and  (c) private hire vehicles there were in Essex in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: Information requested is as follows. No information is available for private hire vehicles.
	
		
			  Number of accidents involving trains and buses in Essex( 1) : 2001 to 2005 
			  Year of accident  (a) Trains( 2)  (b) Buses( 3) 
			 2001 35 171 
			 2002 19 147 
			 2003 18 130 
			 2004 17 146 
			 2005 17 123 
			 (1) Essex including unitary authorities of Southend on Sea and Thurrock.  (2) Source: Office of Rail Regulation's HM Railway Inspectorate.  (3) Buses (including coaches) involved in personal injury road accidents reported to the police .

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

16 to 19-year-olds: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 16 to 19-year-olds in York were  (a) in education, training or work and  (b) registered as unemployed in each year since 1992.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) The percentage of 16 and 17-year-olds in education and work-based learning in York since 1997 is shown in Table 1. Data is not available at this local education authority level before 1997. Also reliable data is not available at this local level on the proportion in work or for 18 and 19-year-olds.
	
		
			  Table 1: 16 and 17-year-olds in York in education and work-based learning 
			   Percentage 
			 1997 91 
			 1998 88 
			 1999 87 
			 2000 85 
			 2001 85 
			 2002 82 
			 2003 81 
			 2004 82 
		
	
	 (b) The percentage of 16 to 19-year-olds claiming jobseekers' allowance in York in January of each year since 1992 is shown in Table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2: 16 to 19-year-olds in York claiming jobseekers' allowance in January (claimant count) 
			   Percentage 
			 1992 4 
			 1993 6 
			 1994 6 
			 1995 5 
			 1996 6 
			 1997 4 
			 1998 3 
			 1999 3 
			 2000 3 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 2 
			 2003 2 
			 2004 2 
			 2005 2 
			 2006 2

Apprenticeships: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many apprenticeships there were in York in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: Figures for those participating in apprenticeships (previously called modern apprenticeships) funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) can be derived from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). This was collated for the first time in 2001/02 (as an interim ILR) and consistent and comparable figures are currently only available for the three following years.
	The following table shows the total number of apprentices in York (based on the home postcode of the learner) for each year from 2002/03 to 2004/05.
	
		
			  York  Advanced apprenticeship  Apprenticeship  Total 
			 2002/03 530 850 1,380 
			 2003/04 490 980 1,470 
			 2004/05 480 1,110 1,590 
			  Note: Figures rounded to nearest 10.

Building Schools for the Future

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many councils have had proposals submitted under the Building Schools for the Future Programme rejected; and what the reasons were for the rejection in each case;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of proposals under the Building Schools for the Future Programme not involving an academy have been rejected since the start of the programme.

Jim Knight: holding answer 30 November 2006
	So far, within the Building Schools for the Future programme, no proposals involving academies or otherwise have been rejected outright. When local authorities submit their proposals to the DFES most are returned to the authority for further clarifications before receiving full departmental approval. This is part of the normal scrutiny of BSF projects to ensure they are deliverable and within the Government's overall objectives.

Connexions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the total lifetime contract cost of the Connexions scheme contract with Capita.

Parmjit Dhanda: It is estimated that the total lifetime contract costs of the Connexions Card scheme will be £89.1 million (of this £83.1 million relates to payments to Capita Business Services Ltd.).

Creationist Teaching

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of schools teaching creationism in  (a) Oxfordshire,  (b) the South East and  (c) England;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) academies and  (b) other maintained schools which teach creationism or intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in (i) religious education and (ii) science lessons;
	(3)  what  (a) guidance and  (b) advice he has given to maintained schools on the teaching of creationism or intelligent design as a valid alternative to evolution in (i) science lessons, (ii) religious education lessons, (iii) scripture unions or religious clubs and (iv) collective worship; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 30 November 2006
	Ofsted, the official body for inspecting schools, has not found any evidence that creationism is being taught in science lessons. The Department has not made an estimate of the number of schools or academies teaching creationism or intelligent design in religious education lessons.
	The national curriculum for science clearly sets down that pupils should be taught: how uncertainties in scientific knowledge and scientific ideas change overtime; the role of the scientific community in validating these changes; variation within species can lead to evolutionary changes; and, similarities and differences between species can be measured and classified. To meet the requirements of the national curriculum for science teachers have to teach about scientific theories. Neither intelligent design nor creationism is a recognised scientific theory and should not therefore be taught as part of the science curriculum.
	Creationism and intelligent design can be explored in religious education as part of developing an understanding of different beliefs. It is up to the local SACREs (Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education) to set the syllabus for how this should be done. The guidance for schools on collective worship states that every school must provide a daily act of collective worship for its pupils. There is no specific reference to creationism or intelligent design. The Department does not produce guidance on what should be discussed at scripture unions or religious clubs.
	The Department is currently working with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to communicate this message to schools.

Departmental Staff

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what change there has been in the number of staff in his Department dealing with  (a) gender,  (b) disability and  (c) ethnic minority personnel issues since 1997.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department has only been in existence since 2001. Our policy is to mainstream equality and diversity into all our personnel policies/processes, which includes gender, disability and black and minority ethnic issues. To support that process and advise colleagues, we have in place a specialist team of three to formulate and drive through our equality and diversity delivery plan. The team has been in place since 2001.

Education Expenditure

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Government expenditure was on  (a) schools and  (b) universities in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 2005-06; and what the percentage change was for each figure in real terms over that period.

Jim Knight: (a) The following table gives the information requested for schools.  (b) Government expenditure on Higher Education for 1996-97 was £3,448 million and the total for 2005-06 was £6,172 million. It is calculated that the real terms increase is 44 per cent.
	
		
			  Education expenditure( 1,2)  by central and local government( 3)  within schools in real terms( 4)  in England, excluding Ofsted expenditure 
			   1996-97 outturn (£ million)  2005-06 estimated outturn (£ million)  Percentage increase 1996-97 to 2005-06 
			 Schools capital(5, )(6) 1,254 3,080 145.7 
			 Current(7) 21,866 35,073 60.4 
			 Current total(7,8) 23,120 38,153 65.0 
			 (1) Figures within Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL). Excludes DFES administration costs and expenditure on other areas of education, for instance on children and families and on skills. 2005-06 figures are resource-based. Central Government figures for 1996-97 are cash-based.  (2) Differences between the totals above and the figures for primary education spending in HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) Report due to are the data coverage: the exclusion of Annual Managed Expenditure (AME) items in the above table and (b) further minor data coverage and timing differences.  (3) The recurrent local authority figures in this table are drawn from the Local Government Education Expenditure table of the Departmental Annual Report (table 8.3 of the 2006 DAR); the footnotes to that table set out the underlying data sources.  (4) All figures have been converted to 2005-06 price levels using the 27 September 2006 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflators.  (5) Includes expenditure on county, voluntary aided, special agreement, grant-maintained schools, city technology colleges and other specialist schools. Central Government funding on grant-maintained schools has been apportioned to under-fives, primary and secondary sectors using pupil numbers.  (6) Excludes private finance initiative (PFI) credits (£1,200 million in 2005-06).  (7) 2005-06 figures reflect the transfer of responsibility from the Department to LEAs of costs relating to teachers' pensions. Under five figures include education expenditure on Sure Start (Sure Start figures exclude current grant). Includes local authority services to schools, expenditure on City Academies, on small remodelling programmes and on teacher training.  (8) 2005-06 figures taken from the Education Select Committee table, 1996-97 figures from November 2005 Education Bulletin.

Educational Facilities: Sprinklers

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what  (a) financial and  (b) other assistance his Department provides to local education authorities to provide sprinkler facilities in new educational facilities; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 4 December 2006
	The Department does not set aside funding specifically for the installation of sprinklers in schools. It is for local authorities to decide what they do with the funding they are allocated. They can use it to install sprinklers where their need is demonstrated by a risk assessment, or where they represent value for money. Where a local authority has a general policy of installing sprinklers in schools, and need or value for money is not demonstrated in a particular project, it can of course provide additional funding to cover sprinklers.
	The Department is preparing a new publication on fire safety in schools—Building Bulletin 100, "Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools". This includes guidance on sprinklers but, following public consultation, we saw the need to do more work in this area. We therefore commissioned consultants to analyse case studies of school projects where sprinklers have been installed. They are establishing reliable figures for both installation and maintenance costs, and developing these into a full cost benefit analysis. This work will be completed in January and then integrated into the final version of Building Bulletin 100, which we expect to publish several months later.

Energy Use

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the impact of energy prices on school budgets.

Jim Knight: holding answer 30 November 2006
	The funding that individual schools receive via their school budget shares is a matter for individual local authorities to decide locally through their own local funding formulae (subject to satisfying the minimum funding guarantee for schools).
	Over the past three financial years (2003-04 to 2005-06) the cost pressure attributed to expenditure on energy has been increasing. Expenditure by schools on energy as a percentage of total gross school expenditure (less staffing costs) has increased from 5.0 per cent. of the total in 2003-04 to 6.2 per cent. of the total in 2005-06. Energy costs, in particular, increased by 16.1 per cent. between 2003-04 and 2004-05 and by 28.5 per cent. between 2004-05 and 2005-06.
	Of the increases in total gross expenditure (less staffing costs) by schools, 8.8 per cent. can be attributed to increases in energy costs between 2003-04 and 2004-05 and 15.3 per cent. to increases in energy costs between 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Foreign Languages

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the teaching of  (a) Russian and  (b) Chinese.

Jim Knight: While our National Languages Strategy "Languages for All: Languages for Life—a strategy for England" does not promote the teaching of one language above another, the United Kingdom has signed Memoranda of Understanding with both Russia and China to promote the teaching and learning of both languages in schools.
	A number of specialist language colleges offer Russian and Chinese. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) also hosts Russian and Chinese Networks.
	In addition, the Department for Education and Skills and the Higher Education Funding Council for England are agreed that languages, such as Russian and Chinese, are of strategic importance to the UK and are working together to support initiatives to stimulate demand and increase the supply of languages places at higher education level.
	Our national recognition scheme—the Languages Ladder—introduced in September 2005 also offers alternative assessment opportunities for learners of both languages to have their skills recognised.

Free School Meals

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in each local education authority area in England are in receipt of free school meals.

Jim Knight: Information on the numbers of pupils in receipt of free school meals in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools: pupils taking free school meals ( 1,2)  January 2006—by local authority area and Government office region in England 
			  ( 3) Maintained nursery and primary schools ( 3) Maintained secondary schools 
			   Number on roll  Pupils taking free school meals  Percentage taking free school meals  Number on roll  Pupils taking free school meals  Percentage taking free school meals 
			 England (4) 4,187,630 556,180 13.3 3,309,720 328,750 9.9 
			
			 North East (4) 215,430 37,930 17.6 174,770 18,780 10.7 
			 Darlington 9,083 1,393 15.3 6,262 719 11.5 
			 Durham 42,472 6,451 15.2 32,508 3,272 10.1 
			 Gateshead 16,256 2,900 17.8 11,775 1,402 11.9 
			 Hartlepool 9,236 1,802 19.5 6,464 1,053 . 16.3 
			 Middlesbrough 13,921 3,397 24.4 5,586 1,041 18.6 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 20,266 5,195 25.6 16,750 2,198 13.1 
			 North Tyneside 16,285 2,301 14.1 13,660 1,047 7.7 
			 Northumberland 19,424 2,140 11.0 29,974 2,585 8.6 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 13,236 2,456 18.6 10,011 1,149 11.5 
			 South Tyneside 12,998 2,833 21.8 9,979 1,297 13.0 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 17,267 2,682 15.5 12,612 1,179 9.3 
			 Sunderland 24,986 4,377 17.5 19,193 1,833 9.6 
			
			 North West (4) 600,400 96,780 16.1 462,630 58,450 12.6 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 15,489 2,986 19.3 9,418 1,690 17.9 
			 Blackpool 11,807 2,111 17.9 8,654 1,380 15.9 
			 Bolton 25,789 3,767 14.6 19,641 2,162 11.0 
			 Bury 16,059 1,910 11.9 11,808 1,247 10.6 
			 Cheshire 54,704 4,974 9.1 46,962 2,910 6.2 
			 Cumbria 40,145 4,460 11.1 35,672 2,768 7.8 
			 Halton 10,490 1,978 18.9 8,059 1,073 13.3 
			 Knowsley 15,511 3,586 23.1 9.527 2,135 22.4 
			 Lancashire 95,318 11,350 11.9 75,146 7,881 10.5 
			 Liverpool 38.529 10,062 26.1 32,137 6,972 21.7 
			 Manchester 40,871 14,106 34.5 23,517 6,734 28.6 
			 Oldham 23,300 4,274 18.3 16,545 2,317 14.0 
			 Rochdale 19,904 3,797 19.1 14,157 2,377 16.8 
			 Salford 19,457 4,944 25.4 11,824 2,033 17.2 
			 Sefton 23,545 2,865 12.2 20,416 2,088 10.2 
			 St. Helens 15,671 2,432 15.5 11,807 1,318 11.2 
			 Stockport 23,940 2,286 9.5 16,363 1,296 7.9 
			 Tameside 20,127 3,027 15.0 15,677 2,038 13.0 
			 Trafford 19,209 1,830 9.5 16,258 1,275 7.8 
			 Warrington 17,472 1,344 7.7 14,048 788 5.6 
			 Wigan 26,356 3,303 12.5 20,895 1,954 9.4 
			 Wirral 26,705 5,389 20.2 24,096 4,009 16.6 
			
			 Yorkshire and the Humber (4) 446,780 57,310 12.8 345,870 33,960 9.8 
			 Barnsley 20,430 2,936 14.4 13,743 1,456 10.6 
			 Bradford 51,987 8,522 16.4 34,255 5,804 16.9 
			 Calderdale 18,659 2,363 12.7 15,544 1,414 9.1 
			 Doncaster 27,145 4,180 15.4 20,420 1,732 8.5 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 26,145 1,649 6.3 23,561 1,103 4.7 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 22,266 3,093 13.9 15,768 1.976 12.5 
			 Kirklees 36,103 4,843 13.4 26,648 3,057 11.5 
			 Leeds 61,571 9,028 14.7 47,847 5,338 11.2 
			 North East Lincolnshire 14,322 2,095 14.6 11,072 1,241 11.2 
			 North Lincolnshire 13,984 1,602 11.5 10,773 873 8.1 
			 North Yorkshire 44,793 2,858 6.4 41,906 1,744 4.2 
			 Rotherham 23,998 3.312 13.8 20,369 1,975 9.7 
			 Sheffield 42,868 6,157 14.4 31,430 3,475 11.1 
			 Wakefield 28,966 3,569 12.3 22,304 2,196 9.8 
			 York 13,545 1,100 8.1 10,227 572 5.6 
			
			 East Midlands (4) 361,730 35,780 9.9 296,230 21,710 7.3 
			 Derby 22,147 3,422 15.5 15,674 1,911 12.2 
			 Derbyshire 62,992 6,325 10.0 50,965 3,423 6.7 
			 Leicester 28,238 5,732 20.3 17,898 3,036 17.0 
			 Leicestershire 48,288 2,756 5.7 46,792 2,073 4.4 
			 Lincolnshire 53,271 2,382 4.5 48.444 2,241 4.6 
			 Northamptonshire 57,038 4,038 7.1 45,386 2,358 5.2 
			 Nottingham 23,710 5,331 22.5 13,630 2,667 19.6 
			 Nottinghamshire 63,529 5,697 9.0 55,028 3,937 7.2 
			 Rutland 2,521 94 3.7 2,412 66 2.7 
			
			 West Midlands (4) 473,940 71,870 15.2 375,670 42,310 11.3 
			 Birmingham 103,163 28,639 27.8 70,425 17,600 25.0 
			 Coventry 27,246 4,490 16.5 21,209 2,781 13.1 
			 Dudley 28,371 3,386 11.9 20,754 1,957 9.4 
			 Herefordshire 12,979 890 6.9 10,401 534 5.1 
			 Sandwell 29,873 4,949 16.6 19,853 2,557 12.9 
			 Shropshire 21,896 1,673 7.6 18,107 882 4.9 
			 Solihull 19,885 1,685 8.5 15,557 1,144 7.4 
			 Staffordshire 64,281 5,396 8.4 60,930 3,366 5.5 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 21,185 4,649 21.9 14,691 1,946 13.2 
			 Telford and Wrekin 15,319 2,350 15.3 10,538 1,231 11.7 
			 Walsall 26,754 3,964 14.8 21,051 2,287 10.9 
			 Warwickshire 41,513 3,314 8.0 34,318 1,614 4.7 
			 Wolverhampton 23,104 3,674 15.9 16,968 1,999 11.8 
			 Worcestershire 38,367 2,807 7.3 40,870 2,415 5.9 
			
			 East of England (4) 444,400 40,980 9.2 389,880 26,930 6.9 
			 Bedfordshire 25,571 2,213 8.7 37,702 2,515 6.7 
			 Cambridgeshire 44,396 3,075 6.9 32,734 1,894 5.8 
			 Essex 107,391 9,430 8.8 91,096 5,841 6.4 
			 Hertfordshire 93,403 6,134 6.6 80,310 4,473 5.6 
			 Luton 19,121 3,663 19.2 12,299 2,019 16.4 
			 Norfolk 65,333 7,058 10.8 46,931 3,248 6.9 
			 Peterborough 15,400 2,389 15.5 13,181 1,639 12.4 
			 Southend-on-Sea 14,147 1,896 13.4 12,597 1,124 8.9 
			 Suffolk 45,829 3,693 8.1 54,185 3,300 6.1 
			 Thurrock 13,811 1,432 10.4 8,843 879 9.9 
			
			 London (4) 633,960 133,730 21.1 423,540 76,560 18.1 
			 Inner London (4) 232,970 71,280 30.6 127,880 38,300 30.0 
			 Camden 11,526 3,819 33.1 9,956 2,432 24.4 
			 City of London 231 49 21.2 (5)— (5)— (5)— 
			 Hackney 18,176 6,021 33.1 6,986 2,212 31.7 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 9,993 3,784 37.9 6,857 1,595 23.3 
			 Haringey 22,172 6,157 27.8 11,659 3,406 29.2 
			 Islington 14,505 5,077 35.0 8,063 2,617 32.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 7,285 2,362 32.4 3,514 745 21.2 
			 Lambeth 20,536 6,472 31.5 8,050 2,718 33.8 
			 Lewisham 22,180 4,618 20.8 11,023 2,150 19.5 
			 Newham 31,310 8,635 27.6 18,304 5,607 30.6 
			 Southwark 23,318 6,575 28.2 10,247 3,860 37.7 
			 Tower Hamlets 22,889 9,740 42.6 14,381 6,731 46.8 
			 Wandsworth 17,605 4,279 24.3 10,436 1,987 19.0 
			 Westminster 11,240 3,691 32.8 8,401 2,243 26.7 
			
			 Outer London (4) 401,000 62,450 15.6 295,670 38,260 12.9 
			 Barking and Dagenham 18,469 3,762 20.4 12,632 2,561 20.3 
			 Barnet 26,480 4,234 16.0 19,549 2,302 11.8 
			 Bexley 20,682 1,640 7.9 18,396 1,008 5.5 
			 Brent 23,387 5,523 23.6 16,418 2,695 16.4 
			 Bromley 23,918 2,364 9.9 22,486 1,722 7.7 
			 Croydon 29,839 4,952 16.6 18,718 2,659 14.2 
			 Ealing 26,468 5,101 19.3 15,196 2,923 19.2 
			 Enfield 27,189 5,712 21.0 22,160 3,106 14.0 
			 Greenwich 21,576 5,527 25.6 14.554 2,978 20.5 
			 Harrow 19,625 2,917 14.9 9,038 1,569 17.4 
			 Havering 19,402 1,618 8.3 16,594 1,083 6.5 
			 Hillingdon 24,205 3,249 13.4 17,085 2,492 14.6 
			 Hounslow 18,916 3,505 18.5 16,592 2,525 15.2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 11,737 711 6.1 9,579 591 6.2 
			 Merton 14,972 1,437 9.6 8,615 1,051 12.2 
			 Redbridge 24,114 3,268 13.6 20,649 2,411 11.7 
			 Richmond upon Thames 13,012 955 7.3 7,165 933 13.0 
			 Sutton 14,963 1,547 10.3 16,164 915 5.7 
			 Waltham Forest 22,041 4,425 20.1 14,076 2,735 19.4 
			
			 South East (4) 630,710 49,110 7.8 514,940 30,260 5.9 
			 Bracknell Forest 8,811 426 4.8 6,208 193 3.1 
			 Brighton and Hove 17,218 2,186 12.7 12,186 1,479 12.1 
			 Buckinghamshire 39,797 1,370 3.4 35,176 1,439 4.1 
			 East Sussex 36,285 3,491 9.6 28,708 2,310 8.0 
			 Hampshire 97,442 6,495 6.7 72,709 3,530 4.9 
			 Isle of Wight 6,994 994 14.2 12,162 1,395 11.5 
			 Kent 110,316 10,448 9.5 99,065 5.869 5.9 
			 Medway 22,470 2,175 9.7 20,492 1,317 6.4 
			 Milton Keynes 21,126 1,948 9.2 15,103 1,342 8.9 
			 Oxfordshire 47,079 3,127 6.6 37,790 2,084 5.5 
			 Portsmouth 14,157 1,775 12.5 9,891 932 9.4 
			 Reading 10,706 1,450 13.5 6,065 569 9.4 
			 Slough 12,132 1,564 12.9 8,917 912 10.2 
			 Southampton 16,101 2,737 17.0 11,536 1,340 11.6 
			 Surrey 78,835 4,901 6.2 59,678 2,331 3.9 
			 West Berkshire 12,206 715 5.9 12,243 493 4.0 
			 West Sussex 57,948 2,434 4.2 45,877 2,035 4.4 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 8,770 451 5.1 10,284 317 3.1 
			 Wokingham 12,312 419 3.4 10,853 372 3.4 
			
			 South West (4) 380,280 32,710 8.6 326,180 19,800 6.1 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 12,171 985 8.1 12,624 589 4.7 
			 Bournemouth 10,525 1,054 10.0 9,900 827 8.4 
			 Bristol, City of 30,671 5,566 18.1 15,511 2,168 14.0 
			 Cornwall 39.282 3,695 9.4 32,890 2,469 7.5 
			 Devon 53,317 4,185 7.8 43,424 2,526 5.8 
			 Dorset 24,741 1,006 4.1 30,225 1,280 4.2 
			 Gloucestershire 43,428 3,561 8.2 40,729 2,160 5.3 
			 Isles of Scilly 252 0 0.0 (5)— (5)— (5)— 
			 North Somerset 14,896 1,205 8.1 13,002 783 6.0 
			 Plymouth 19,408 2,703 13.9 18,612 1,401 7.5 
			 Poole 10,338 459 4.4 8,696 401 4.6 
			 Somerset 36,775 2,425 6.6 33,152 1,874 5.7 
			 South Gloucestershire 22,223 1,300 5.8 17,113 596 3.5 
			 Swindon 16,906 1,180 7.0 11,626 776 6.7 
			 Torbay 9,836 1,312 13.3 9,236 792 8.6 
			 Wiltshire 35,508 2,074 5.8 29,443 1,155 3.9 
			 (1) Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils. (2) The number of pupils taking free school meals on the Census day in January. (3) Includes middle schools as deemed. (4) National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between totals and the sum of constituent parts. (5 )Not applicable. No schools of this type.  Source:  Schools' Census

Further Education Colleges

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many inspectors were employed to inspect the  (a) performance,  (b) quality standard and  (c) guideline compliance of further education colleges in each year since 1997, broken down by inspecting body.

Bill Rammell: Up to April 2001, inspection of further education colleges was by the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) inspectorate. Since April 2001, further education colleges have been inspected jointly by Ofsted and the adult learning inspectorate (the ALI), with Ofsted in the lead.
	The number of inspectors employed by Ofsted is a matter for Ofsted. HM chief inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member on this aspect of his question and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Library.
	As follows, I provide the number of full-time equivalent inspectors employed in the FEFC Inspection and Audit Directorate between 1997-98 and 2000-01, and the number deployed by the ALI on FE college inspection since April 2001. The records do not separately identify the number employed on each type of activity as all inspectors assess the performance, quality standards and guideline compliance for the area they are inspecting.
	
		
			   Number 
			  FEFC FTE inspectors—Inspection and Audit Directorate  
			 1997-98 104 
			 1998-99 108 
			 1999-2000 112 
			 2000-01 130 
			   
			  ALI FTE inspectors  
			 2001-02 41 
			 2002-03 55 
			 2003-04 60 
			 2004-05 61 
			 2005-06 50 
			 2006-07 (forecast) 45 
		
	
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 1 December 2006:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for reply.
	You asked how many inspectors were employed to inspect the (a) performance, (b) quality standard and (c) guideline compliance of further education colleges in each year since 1997, broken down by inspecting body.
	The Learning and Skills Act 2000 gave Her Majesty's Chief Inspector the responsibility for the inspection of further education colleges from 2001. It also required that these inspections be carried out jointly with the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) where colleges also provided for education of learners who were 19 and over - which is the case for nearly all such colleges. This responsibility covers the inspection of sixth form colleges, tertiary colleges, colleges of further education, independent specialist colleges, and other specialist colleges such as those dedicated to agriculture and horticulture and art and design.
	Before 2001, the inspection of further education colleges fell within the Further Education Funding Council. I am afraid Ofsted does not hold the records of that body.
	Ofsted is required by the 2000 Act to inspect in accordance with a common inspection framework. Inspectors must report on the effectiveness of the educational provision, achievements and standards, leadership and management. It is not possible to separate the contribution of inspectors towards the inspection of performance and quality standards. The responsibility for guideline compliance primarily falls to the Learning and Skills Council.
	Each of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools carries out a range of inspections so that it is only possible to provide approximate information to that requested and on a 'full-time equivalent' basis for inspectors directly employed by Ofsted.
	This number of inspectors on a 'full-time equivalent' basis directly employed by Ofsted and deployed on the inspection of colleges (by financial year) is as follows:
	2001-02: 26 HMI
	2002-03: 26 HMI
	2003-04: 26 HMI
	2004-05: 22 HMI
	2005-06: 18 HMI
	In addition, Ofsted has deployed the services of 'additional inspectors' on a contractual basis as and when they are needed.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Higher Education Admissions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of school leavers in England who enrolled in Scottish universities in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of school leavers in England who enrolled in Welsh universities in each of the last three years;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of school leavers in Scotland who enrolled in English universities in each of the last three years;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the number of school leavers in England who enrolled in universities in  (a) Scotland and  (b) Northern Ireland in 2006-07.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information for 2003 to 2005 entry is shown in the first two tables. Provisional figures for 2006 entry are shown in the third table; final figures for 2006 entry will be available in January 2007.
	
		
			  Students from England accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses by country of study for 2003 to 2005 entry 
			   Country of study  
			  Year of entry  England  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland  Total 
			 2003 263,958 8,986 3,897 89 276,930 
			 2004 263,773 9,153 4,067 86 277,079 
			 2005 287,909 9,482 4,287 120 301,798 
			  Source:  Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). 
		
	
	
		
			  Students from Scotland accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses by country of study for 2003 to 2005 entry 
			   Country of study  
			  Year of entry  England  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland  Total 
			 2003 1,989 71 26,199 19 28,278 
			 2004 1,799 65 26,343 18 28,225 
			 2005 1,881 64 25,710 18 27,673 
			  Source:  Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) 
		
	
	
		
			  Students accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses by area of permanent residence and country of study for 2005 and 2006 entry 
			   Country of study  
			  Area of permanent residence  England  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland  Total 
			  England  
			 2005 287,305 9,492 4,289 120 301,206 
			 2006 275,616 8,333 3,668 122 287,739 
			   
			  Wales  
			 2005 6,327 10,382 133 7 16,849 
			 2006 5,378 11,321 98 4 16,801 
			   
			  Scotland  
			 2005 1,879 64 25,685 18 27,646 
			 2006 1,758 59 24,836 13 26,666 
			   
			  Northern Ireland  
			 2005 3,168 109 1,262 9,370 13,909 
			 2006 3,576 112 1,231 8,017 12,936 
			  Source:  Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) 
		
	
	The trends in cross-border flows show that between 2005 and 2006 there has been a bigger drop in English students studying in Wales (down 12.2 per cent.) and Scotland (down 14.5 per cent.), than for those studying in England (down 4.1 per cent.), although those studying in Northern Ireland has slightly increased (1.7 per cent.) but the numbers are small. In other words, the introduction of variable tuition fees in 2006/07 has not seen an increase in the number of students from England opting to study in Scotland and Wales.
	The trends in cross-border flows for Scottish students show that there has been a bigger drop in Scottish students studying in England (down 6.4 per cent.), Wales (down 7.8 per cent.) and Northern Ireland (down 27.8 per cent.) than for those studying in Scotland (down 3.3 per cent.).

Head Teachers: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacancies for head teachers there were in the Peterborough city council local education authority area on 30 October 2006, broken down by  (a) secondary schools,  (b) primary schools and  (c) other schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 4 December 2006
	The information requested is not available for 30 October 2006.
	On 19 January 2006 there were no head teacher vacancies in maintained nursery/primary, secondary or special schools in Peterborough city council local education authority.
	This information is available from the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618G.
	Under the DFES standard definition, vacancies are those advertised for full-time permanent appointments, or appointments of at least one term's duration, and include those being filled by a teacher on a temporary contract of less than one term's duration.

International Baccalaureate

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools switched from offering the A-level syllabus to the International Baccalaureate in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: According to the Schools' Census, no maintained secondary schools have switched from only offering the GCE/VCE A-level syllabus to only the International Baccalaureate in the last three years. However, since 2003, the number of schools with learners studying the International Baccalaureate has increased from 19 to 35 in 2006.

Learning and Skills Council

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff were employed by the Learning and Skills Council in each year since 2001, broken down by area of responsibility.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is provided as follows:
	
		
			  Directorate  Year ended 31 March 2002  Year ended 31 March 2003  Year ended 31 March 2004 
			 Chairman, Chief Executive's Office 23 31 26 
			 Finance 113 123 139 
			 HR and Corporate Services 110 108 137 
			 Policy and Development (Learning Programmes) 74 101 94 
			 Operations 112 147 173 
			 National Contracts Service 5 27 29 
			 Quality and Standards 47 52 53 
			 Communications and Strategic Planning 35 43 47 
			 Local LSCs 4,175 4,165 4,088 
			 Total 4,694 4,797 4,786 
		
	
	Figures for years ending 31 March 2005 and 2006 reflect the LSC's new structure.
	
		
			  Directorate  Year ended 31 March 2005  Year ended 31 March 2006 
			 Learning 127 178 
			 Skills 102 124 
			 Resources 483 531 
			 Strategy and Communications 65 57 
			 Human Resources 120 110 
			 Local LSCs 3409 3451 
			 Total 4306 4451 
			  Source:  LSC Annual Report and Accounts 
		
	
	The figures are for the average number of staff employed by the LSC each year and include temporary staff and agency staff. A rise in staff numbers occurred between March 2002 and March 2003 as the LSC began to build up the organisation, and took on significant new responsibilities, including the funding of school sixth forms. During 2004 the LSC undertook a re-shaping exercise which resulted in a fall in numbers in March 2005. Staff numbers subsequently increased slightly, reflecting the further work which was transferred by the Department to the LSC during 2005, including education maintenance allowances. However, we anticipate a reduction in the average number of staff in post between 2006 and 2007 as a consequence of the announcement in September 2005 by Mark Haysom, the Learning and Skills Council's chief executive, of proposals for a new structure for the organisation. This new structure aims to make the LSC more effective at identifying and responding to local learning and skills needs, and to achieve a less bureaucratic and more strategic relationship with partners and providers. This process is now nearing completion, and will achieve estimated savings of up to £40 million, which could be released to the front line for the further benefit of learners. As a result, the LSC will have a strong regional and local capacity, spending less time on transactional processes and more time developing relationships with key partners and stakeholders.

Lyons Review

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many jobs in his Department have been relocated  (a) to Liverpool and  (b) elsewhere as a result of the Lyons Review; and on how many occasions Liverpool has been considered for the relocation of staff under this programme.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 27 November 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 8 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1743W.

Ofsted Inspections

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in England attended schools in 2005/06 deemed  (a) inadequate and  (b) satisfactory by HM Chief Inspector of Schools.

Jim Knight: 2,098,828 pupils attended the 5,996 schools which were inspected by Ofsted during the 2005/06 academic year. The following table shows these pupil numbers broken down by the judgment Ofsted made of each school:
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary, all special schools, city technology colleges, academies and pupil referral units: number of schools and pupils by Ofsted standards judgment made during the 2005/06 academic year 
			  Ofsted judgment  Number of schools ( 1) Headcount of pupils 
			 1 (Outstanding) 596 228,221 
			 2 (Good) 2,866 925,830 
			 3 (Satisfactory) 2,050 737,152 
			 4 (Inadequate) 484 207,625 
			 (1 )Pupil numbers are derived from School Census returns, and are as at January 2006 
		
	
	The Government have had considerable success in reducing school failure: in 1998, there were 524 schools in special measures, and by the end of the 2005/06 academic year, there were 208. We are committed to further reducing the numbers of failing and underperforming schools. The Education and Inspection Act contains measures to give local authorities additional powers to tackle underperformance, to ensure that fewer schools become a cause for concern, and to enable local authorities to turn around more quickly those schools which do get into difficulties.

Physical Education Teachers

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many black and ethnic teachers participated in physical education teacher training courses in each of the last five years; and how many black and ethnic teachers teach physical education in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools.

Jim Knight: pursuant to the reply, 6 November 2006, Official Report, c. 965W
	The following table provides the number of teachers from black and other ethnic minorities who have participated in teacher training courses with physical education as one of their subject specialisations in each academic year from 2000/01 to 2004/05, the latest year for which figures are available. The figures are for teachers who have trained to teach in secondary schools only. Primary school trainee teachers are trained in all subjects of national curriculum including physical education.
	These numbers replace those previously given. The subsequent notes are also revised.
	
		
			  Teachers on teacher training courses in England with physical education as a subject specialisation, 2000/01 to 2004/05 
			  Academic year of qualification  Total  Of which: Black and ethnic minorities  Percentage of black and ethnic minorities 
			 2000/01 1,200 20 2 
			 2001/02 1,380 40 3 
			 2002/03 1,350 30 2 
			 2003/04 1,760 50 3 
			 2004/05 1,920 70 4 
			  Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. The figures include teachers on employment based routes to qualified teacher status. 3. The total includes those who did not declare or refused to provide their ethnic background. 4. Black and ethnic minorities include the following categories: Black or black British—Caribbean Black or black British—African Other black background Asian or Asian British—Indian Asian or Asian British—Pakistani Asian or Asian British—Bangladeshi Chinese or other ethnic background—Chinese Other Asian background Mixed—white and black Caribbean Mixed—white and black African Mixed—white and Asian Other mixed background Other ethnic background  Source: Training and Development Agency's Performance Profiles.

School Closures

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) rural and  (b) urban (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools have closed in (A) Cornwall, (B) the South West and (C) England in each year since 1992.

Jim Knight: The numbers of schools closed by year, phase of education and urban/rural indicator are tabled as follows
	
		
			  (A) Cornwall 
			   Primary( 1)  Secondary( 1)  
			   Urban/rural indicator   Urban/rural indicator   
			   Rural  Urban  Primary total  Urban  Rural  Secondary total  Grand total 
			 1992 4 1 5 0 0 0 5 
			 1993 2 0 2 1 0 1 3 
			 1994 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 1995 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 1996 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 
			 1997 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 1998 0 2 2 0 0 0 2 
			 1999 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2001 0 2 2 0 0 0 2 
			 2002 0 3 3 0 0 0 3 
			 2003 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 
			 2004 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			 2005 0 4 4 0 0 0 4 
			 2006 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 
			 Grand total 13 12 25 1 0 1 26 
		
	
	
		
			  (B) The South West 
			   Primary( 1)  Secondary( 1)  
			   Urban rural indicator   Urban rural indicator   
			   Rural  Urban  Primary total  Rural  Urban  Secondary total  Grand total 
			 1992 12 10 22 3 2 5 27 
			 1993 7 8 15 2 3 5 20 
			 1994 1 12 13 0 0 0 13 
			 1995 2 8 10 0 2 2 12 
			 1996 3 2 5 0 0 0 5 
			 1997 6 4 10 0 0 0 10 
			 1998 5 32 37 0 0 0 37 
			 1999 — 19 19 0 0 0 19 
			 2000 4 21 25 0 4 4 29 
			 2001 3 10 13 0 0 0 13 
			 2002 7 7 14 1 3 4 18 
			 2003 4 8 12 — 1 1 13 
			 2004 3 10 13 3 3 6 19 
			 2005 4 32 36 3 3 6 42 
			 2006 12 21 33 0 1 1 34 
			 Grand total 73 204 277 12 22 34 311 
		
	
	
		
			  (C) England 
			   Primary( 1)  Secondary( 1)  
			   Urban rural indicator   Urban rural indicator   
			   Rural  Urban  Primary total  Rural  Urban  Secondary total  Grand total 
			 1992 39 289 328 5 105 110 438 
			 1993 26 233 259 73 58 131 390 
			 1994 49 205 254 5 20 25 279 
			 1995 18 146 164 — 25 25 189 
			 1996 57 168 225 6 22 28 253 
			 1997 17 155 172 0 17 17 189 
			 1998 15 159 174 1 15 16 190 
			 1999 9 188 197 — 32 32 229 
			 2000 16 172 188 4 83 87 275 
			 2001 27 221 248 4 43 47 295 
			 2002 27 199 226 3 33 36 262 
			 2003 20 187 207 1 34 35 242 
			 2004 18 210 228 3 38 41 269 
			 2005 24 222 246 4 22 26 272 
			 2006 36 182 218 2 40 42 260 
			 Grand total 398 2,936 3,334 111 587 698 4,032 
			 (1) Phase of education.  Source: EduBase 
		
	
	The figures above include schools that closed as a result of the amalgamation or merger of two or more schools; schools that have closed but re-opened as voluntary schools with a religious character; and schools that have closed in local authorities that have moved from a three-tier to a two-tier system.

Student Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many refunds were processed by the Student Loan Company in each year between 2000 and 2005; and what proportion of those refunds resulted from overpayment of student loans.

Bill Rammell: Details of refunds processed in the relevant years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of refunds made on student loan accounts( 1)  Number of refunds made as a result of credit balance on income-contingent loans( 2)  Proportion of refunds made as a result of credit balance on income-contingent loans( 2)( ) (Percentage) 
			 2000-01 9,953 0 0 
			 2001-02 19,066 267 1 
			 2002-03 20,690 2,062 10 
			 2003-04 24,989 7,686 31 
			 2004-05 32,702 12,638 39 
			 2005-06 45,753 21,774 48 
			 (1) Numbers relate to English-domicile student loans in the Government-owned portfolio.  (2) The increasing profile in this column results from the build up in number of income- contingent loans reaching the end of repayment, and thus liable to include an element of in-year over-repayment. The income-contingent loan system was introduced for the academic year 1998/99, so few loan accounts would have reached the end of repayment in the earlier years covered in the table. 
		
	
	Any overpayment by a borrower is automatically repaid by the Student Loans Company, with interest, as part of the annual process to update borrower accounts.

Student Finance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people repaying their student loan to the Students Loan Company saw their debt increase in the last year for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: There were 1,376,209 borrowers in repayment status at 30 April 2005. Of these 501,699 saw their student loan debt increase in nominal terms by 13 March 2006. As the rate of interest on student loans is directly linked to the retail prices index, the value of all loans is kept the same in real terms as when they were taken out. This means that no student repays more than they originally borrowed regardless of how long it takes them to repay and how much interest accrues in the meantime.

Tamworth: Teaching Vacancies

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching vacancies there are in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in Tamworth constituency.

Jim Knight: Information on teacher vacancies is not available at constituency level but is available by local authority.
	Tamworth constituency is divided between Sandwell and Staffordshire local authorities.
	The following table gives the number of full-time teacher vacancies in maintained schools in Sandwell and Staffordshire local authorities in England, in January 2006.
	
		
			  Full-time vacancy( 1)  numbers in Sandwell and Staffordshire local authorities in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools 
			   Nursery/primary  Secondary 
			 Sandwell 13 5 
			 Staffordshire 6 7 
			 (1) Advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one term's duration). Includes vacancies being filled on a temporary basis of less than one term.  Source:  DfES annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618g.

Teacher's TV

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his Department is able to veto  (a) programmes scheduled and  (b) contracts entered into by Teachers' TV.

Jim Knight: holding answer 27 November 2006
	Teachers' TV was successfully launched on 8 February 2005. It aims to help raise standards in classrooms by helping to share good practice, support continuing professional development, offer classroom resources, and provide education news and information.
	The channel is editorially independent (as required by the Communications Act 2003) and robust protocols are in place to ensure that, while the Department is able to identify the channel's objectives and strategic direction, it is not able to influence programming decisions. An independent Board of Governors ensures that editorial independence is maintained.
	The Department has a pre-agreed form of contract which it obliges the supplier to use with all TV production companies. The Department has the right to reject any contracts entered into that are not on this agreed basis. However, it does not have the right to veto specific programme commissioning contracts in order to ensure editorial independence.

Travel to School

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of how far on average  (a) primary school and  (b) secondary school pupils travel to get to school in (i) Cornwall, (ii) the South West and (iii) England.

Jim Knight: The average distances travelled (in miles) by primary and secondary aged pupils are as follows:
	
		
			  Miles 
			   Primary  Secondary 
			 Cornwall 1.10 2.44 
			 South West 0.90 2.12 
			 England 0.82 1.82 
			  Note:  1. The information in this answer is derived from data collected in the Schools Census returns made by schools to the Department. It includes solely registered and main registration of dually registered pupils aged 5 to 15 attending maintained primary and secondary schools, Academies and CTCs. It excludes pupils reported to be boarders.  2. The distances calculated are straight line distances.

York Local Education Authority Staff

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) teachers,  (b) teaching assistants and  (c) support staff were employed in City of York local education authority schools in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers, teaching assistants and support staff employed in City of York local authority maintained schools in each January from 1997 to 2006.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent regular teachers (excluding occasionals), teaching assistants and support staff in City of York local authority maintained schools, January 1997 to 2006 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Teachers(1) 1,290 1,270 1,290 1,350 1,380 1,390 1,380 1,390 1,390 1,370 
			 Teaching assistants(2) 140 160 170 220 250 350 370 400 440 500 
			 Support staff(2,3) 310 350 370 440 470 580 590 650 710 790 
			 (1) Source: DfES annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618g. (2) Source: Annual School Census. (3) Support staff figures include teaching assistant numbers.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 
		
	
	Information on the number of teachers and teaching assistants in all local authorities is published annually in September. The latest information is available on the Department's website at the following URL:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000681/index.shtml.

York Schools

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average  (a) revenue and  (b) capital expenditure was per (i) primary and (ii) secondary pupil in schools in City of York Local Education Authority areas in each year since 1992-93  (A) in cash terms and  (B) at current prices.

Jim Knight: The available information is shown in the following table.
	The following table shows information for revenue expenditure per primary and secondary pupil in York local authority in cash terms:
	
		
			  School based revenue expenditure( 1, 2, 3)  per pupil( 4)  (1992-93 to 2005-06)( 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) , Cash terms figures( 10)  as reported by local authorities( 5)  as at 29 November 2006 
			  £ 
			   Pre-LGR North Yorkshire( 5)  North Yorkshire( 5)  York( 5) 
			   Pre-primary and primary combined( 8,9)  Primary( 8)  Secondary  Pre-  primary  and  primary combined( 8,9)  Primary( 8)  Secondary  Pre-primary and primary combined( 8,9)  Primary( 8)  Secondary 
			 1992-93 1,540 — 2,220 * * * * * * 
			 1993-94 1,520 — 2,210 * * * * * * 
			 1994-95 1,580 — 2,170 * * * * * * 
			 1995-96 1,570 — 2,210 * * * * * * 
			 1996-97(5) * * * 1,640 * 2,330 1,540 * 2,210 
			 1997-98(6) * * * 1,650 * 2,340 1,600 * 2,350 
			 1998-99(6) * * * 1,750 * 2,410 1,730 * 2,460 
			   
			 1999-2000(2,7,8) * * * 1,990 1,980 2,560 1,800 1,760 2,430 
			 2000-01 * * * 2,070 2,060 2,720 1,870 1,860 2,640 
			 2001-02 * * * 2,370 2,350 2,980 2,260 2,180 2,830 
			   
			 2002-03(3,9) * * * * 2,470 3,130 * 2,390 3,080 
			 2003-04 * * * * 2,710 3,430 * 2,560 3,330 
			 2004-05 * * * * 2,890 3,600 * 2,680 3,660 
			 2005-06 * * * * 3,150 3,810 * 2,930 3,860 
			 (1) School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by the schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. (2). 1999-00 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the ODPM to the Section 52 form from the DfES. 2002-03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables. The change in sources is shown by the blank row. (3) The calculation for 2002-03 onwards is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001-02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses. In 2001-02 this accounted for approximately £70 per pupil. From 2002-03 onwards only the schools element of these categories is included and this accounted for approximately £50 per pupil of the 2002-03 total. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002-03, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources. (4) Pupil numbers include only those pupils attending maintained establishments within each sector and are drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis. (5) Local government reorganisation (LGR) took place on the 1 April 1996 and York LA was separated out from North Yorkshire LA. Hence what was previously regarded as North Yorkshire Local Authority (pre-LGR) was split into new North Yorkshire and York local authorities. (6) Spending in 1997-98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998-99. (7) The 1999-00 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance. (8 )Expenditure was not distinguished between the pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of Section 52 for financial year 1999-00. (9 )School based expenditure in LA maintained nursery schools was not recorded in 2002-03 and comparable figures are not available for 2003-04 onwards. (10 )Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. 
		
	
	The following table shows information for revenue expenditure per primary and secondary pupil in York local authority in cash terms:
	
		
			  School based revenue expenditure( 1,2,3)  per pupil( 4)  (1992-93 to 2005-06)( 5,6,7,8,9) , Real terms figures10 as reported 29 November 2006 
			  £ 
			   Pre-LGR North Yorkshire( 5)  North Yorkshire( 5)  York( 5) 
			   Pre-primary and primary combined( 8,9)  Primary( 8)  Secondary  Pre-primary and primary combined( 8,9)  Primary( 8)  Secondary  Pre-primary and primary combined( 8,9)  Primary( 8)  Secondary 
			 1992-93 2,130 — 3,060 * * * * * * 
			 1993-94 2,050 — 2,960 * * * * * * 
			 1994-95 2,090 — 2,880 * * * * * * 
			 1995-96 2,020 — 2,830 * * * * * * 
			 1996-97(5) * * * 2,040 * 2,890 1,920 * 2,750 
			 1997-98(6) * * * 2,000 * 2,830 1,930 * 2,840 
			 1998-99(6) * * * 2,060 * 2,840 2,030 * 2,900 
			   
			 1999-2000(2,7,8) * * * 2,290 2,280 2,960 2,080 2,030 2,810 
			 2000-01 * * * 2,360 2,340 3,100 2,130 2,120 3,010 
			 2001-02 * * * 2,630 2,610 3,310 2,510 2,420 3,150 
			   
			 2002-03(3,9) * * * * 2,660 3,370 * 2,580 3,320 
			 2003-04 * * * * 2,840 3,590 * 2,680 3,490 
			 2004-05 * * * * 2,950 3,670 * 2,740 3,730 
			 2005-06 * * * * 3,150 3,810 * 2,930 3,860 
			 (1) School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by the schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. (2). 1999-00 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the ODPM to the Section 52 form from the DfES. 2002-03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables. The change in sources is shown by the blank row. (3) The calculation for 2002-03 onwards is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001-02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses. In 2001-02 this accounted for approximately £70 per pupil. From 2002-03 onwards only the schools element of these categories is included and this accounted for approximately £50 per pupil of the 2002-03 total. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002-03, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources. (4) Pupil numbers include only those pupils attending maintained establishments within each sector and are drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis. (5) Local government reorganisation (LGR) took place on the 1 April 1996 and York LA was separated out from North Yorkshire LA. Hence what was previously regarded as North Yorkshire Local Authority (pre-LGR) was split into new North Yorkshire and York local authorities. (6) Spending in 1997-98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998-99. (7) The 1999-00 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance. (8 )Expenditure was not distinguished between the pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of Section 52 for financial year 1999-00. (9 )School based expenditure in LA maintained nursery schools was not recorded in 2002-03 and comparable figures are not available for 2003-04 onwards. (10 )Cash figures are adjusted to 2005-06 levels using 27 September GDP deflators. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. 
		
	
	The following table shows the information for capital support provided to York local authority and its schools since 1996-97. The earliest year for which the Department has this information is 1996-97.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Cash  Real terms( 1) 
			 1996-97 0.8 1.0 
			 1997-98 1.3 1.5 
			 1998-99 1.8 2.1 
			 1999-2000 4.5 5.2 
			 2000-01 7.4 8.5 
			 2001-02 4.8 5.3 
			 2002-03 25.5 (2)27.5 
			 2003-04 9.7 10.1 
			 2004-05 9.4 9.6 
			 2005-06 8.7 8.7 
			 2006-07 28.5 (3)27.8 
			 (1) At 2005-06 prices using GDP deflators at 27 September 2006. (2 )Includes £15.4 million PFI project. (3 )Includes £22. 2 million for targeted capital projects.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Local Government Finance

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will ensure that future local government finance settlements are corrected for actual variations from the population projections for 2007; and if she will meet hon. Members representing Newcastle upon Tyne constituencies to discuss this matter.

Phil Woolas: The Government have a policy of providing councils with multi-year formula grant settlements to provide stability and predictability of funding. Consistent with that policy, I do not intend, except in entirely exceptional circumstances, to retrospectively amend any year's settlement. I do intend to use the best data available at the time of setting out the multi-year plans and will treat all authorities on a consistent basis.
	For the 2006-07 settlement the best available population projections were the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2003-based sub-national population projections. Because 2007-08 is the second year of a multi-year settlement, the provisional 2007-08 settlement also uses the 2003-based sub-national population projections. The Government are currently consulting on the 2007-08 provisional settlement and will take into account all relevant representations made during the consultation period before making the final settlement.
	The next multi-year settlement period calculations (for the three financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11) are due to be made in late 2007. In preparing for these calculations, the methodology will be reviewed and data used in the formulae to determine the 2008-09 to 2010-11 settlements will, consistent with the Secretary of State's policy on multi-year settlements, be updated to the best data available at that time.
	As there have been no changes made to the formulae for 2007-08, and in order to treat all authorities consistently, I am not able to meet individual local authority delegations during consultation. I will of course meet with hon. Members representing Newcastle upon Tyne.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) current and  (b) proposed levels are of (i) employee's and (ii) employer's contribution to the Local Government Pension Scheme; what benefits will be payable to (A) scheme members and (B) their civil or unmarried partners; what support will be provided for ill-health retirement; what retirement age will apply; and whether (1) benefits already paid for will continue at the current level for current scheme members and (2) they will be recalculated in an amended scheme.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 28 November 2006
	The current contribution rate for employees in the Local Government Pension Scheme is 6 per cent. of pensionable pay, with certain members retaining rights to contribute 5 per cent.
	There is no single employer contribution rate for the scheme. At the actuarial valuations for each of the 89 pension funds in England and Wales individual employer contribution rates are set for each of the employers within those funds. The average employer contribution rate in 2005-06 was some 15.2 per cent. of pensionable pay and this covers both future service accrual and meeting past service liabilities.
	Draft new scheme proposals are subject to consultation. No decisions have been taken.

Non-domestic Rates

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to exempt seaside piers from the uniform business rate.

Phil Woolas: There are no plans to exempt seaside piers from non-domestic rating.

Planning Policy Guidance 3

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the 1996 Welsh Planning Policy Guidance 3 guidance.

Peter Hain: I have been asked to reply.
	I have placed a copy of Planning Guidance (Wales), Technical Advice Note (Wales) 3, Simplified Planning Zones—November 1996 in the House Library.
	Planning policy in Wales is, of course, devolved to the Welsh Assembly Government. "Planning Policy Wales: March 2002" sets out the land use planning policies of the Assembly Government, which is supplemented by a series of technical Advice Notes (TANs). Copies of these can be obtained from the Assembly website at:
	www.wales.gov.uk.

Rural Areas: Maps

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she consulted the Rural Payments Agency before ending the National Interest Mapping Service Agreement.

Phil Woolas: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the parent Department of the Rural Payments Agency, was consulted in reaching the decision. DEFRA held discussions with the Rural Payments Agency.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

2012 Olympics

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will require the Olympic procurement authorities to include requirements in their contracts for  (a) the promotion of equal opportunities and  (b) the use of local labour; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is currently developing its equalities and diversity strategy so that all processes used to recruit and manage employees, including employees working within the supply chain, are demonstrably fair and offer equal opportunities to all. It will consider arrangements for monitoring the recruitment process and collecting relevant information from its contract partners. The strategy is expected to be issued for consultation early in 2007. The ODA's draft Procurement Strategy makes clear that a commitment to equal opportunities and diversity will form part of assessments in the tendering for ODA contracts.
	The ODA is also working with the London Development Agency and the five host boroughs to establish an employment brokerage scheme to assist ODA contractors in advertising locally to enable local people to apply for vacancies in the construction of the Olympic Park. Jobcentre Plus has already placed 32 from the local area into jobs working to put powerlines underground.

2012 Olympics

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the size is of the contingency fund for the 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The level of programme contingency is under review. For each of the main venue construction projects there is an allowance in the bid figures for 23.5 per cent. for contingencies and preliminaries.

2012 Olympics

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many responses were received by her Department for the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 games  (a) before the deadline of 17 November and  (b) after that date.

Shaun Woodward: DCMS received 78 responses before the deadline and 93 after that date.

2012 Olympics

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the compliance of the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games with the Cabinet Office code of practice on consultations.

Shaun Woodward: DCMS officials followed the Cabinet Office's code of practice on consultations throughout the consultation process. A summary of responses will be publicised on DCMS website (www.culture.gov.uk) in due course.

2012 Olympics

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria were used to determine which groups should be granted an extension to the deadline for the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games.

Shaun Woodward: No groups or individuals were excluded from making a late contribution to the consultation.

2012 Olympics

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport why an extension was granted to the deadline for the consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games; when the decision was taken; and by whom.

Shaun Woodward: An extension was granted to ensure that responses were received from all representative groups and individuals that wanted to do so. This decision was taken by the consultation project manager one week before the close of the consultation.

2012 Olympics

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on  (a) VAT and  (b) the allowance for project contingency in the budget for the 2012 Olympic Games (i) during the bid process and (ii) since the award of the Games to London.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 28 November 2006
	I have had many discussions with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer both before and after July 2005 when London was awarded the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. These meetings have covered a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such meetings.

2012 Olympics

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account was taken of  (a) VAT,  (b) whole project contingency and  (c) costings for the Olympic Delivery Partner in the initial London 2012 bid document.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 28 November 2006
	The bid document did not include VAT and the candidate file pointed out that the UK Government would ensure that tax issues will not have a significant impact on the Games. The bid document included contingency and preliminaries of 23.5 per cent. in main venue costs. It also included a contingency for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games. The bid did not include provision for an Olympic Delivery Partner. This proposal was made following the establishment of the Olympic Delivery Authority. The use of a delivery partner will help to ensure the highest levels of programme management and cost control.

Casinos

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what process Parliament will consider her recommendations for the location of new casinos; and whether those recommendations will be subject to a vote in both Houses.

Richard Caborn: The order that the Secretary of State is required to make under section 175(4) of the Gambling Act 2005, determining the geographical distribution of the one regional, eight large and eight small casinos permitted by the Act, is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, requiring a debate and potentially a vote in both Houses.

Casinos

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to issue guidance to local authorities which are authorities which are authorised to issue new casino licences under the terms of the Gambling Act 2005.

Richard Caborn: The Gambling Commission published guidance for licensing authorities on the competitions for the new casino licences permitted by the Gambling Act 2005 in April 2006.
	In addition, paragraph 2 of schedule 9 of the Gambling Act 2005 requires the Secretary of State to make regulations about inviting competing applications for the new casino licences. Paragraph 6 of that schedule also enables the Secretary of State to issue a code of practice that licensing authorities must comply with when determining the outcome of those competitions. The Government plan to consult on both the regulations and the code of practice in the new year.

Departmental Staff

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) marketing officers,  (b) communications officers and  (c) press officers are employed in her Department; and what the total expenditure on communications for her Department was on (i) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (ii) other (A) press officers, (B) special advisers and (C) staff in the last year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: The number of press officers currently employed in the DCMS press office is 13. The number of marketing staff currently employed by DCMS is 5.5.
	The communications expenditure for the last financial year (2005-06) was £855,000.

Departmental Staff

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff there were in her Department as of 30 November in each year since 1997; and what the change in the departmental complement has been since the implementation of the recommendations of the Gershon review of public sector efficiency.

David Lammy: The data for 30 November in each year are not available; instead data are available for 31 March each year. In March 2006 there were 518 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in DCMS and 119 in Royal Parks, its one agency, a total of 637.
	DCMS has no complement as such but has an agreed headcount reduction of 27 over the period April 2004 to March 2008. Since then, with the agreement of HM Treasury, a new Government Olympic Executive has been created in DCMS which currently employs 32.5 (FTE) staff.
	Historical information on the number of people employed by DCMS and the Royal Parks, is available in the Library and on the civil service website at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/reports/index.asp

Expenditure: Brunswick

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what payments have been made by her Department to  (a) Brunswick Arts International and  (b) the Brunswick Group in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has made no payments to  (a) Brunswick Arts International and  (b) the Brunswick Group in each of the last five years.

Freedom of Information: Sport England

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to respond to the Freedom of Information request, reference 53289, on the Chair of Sport England submitted on 18 October 2006.

Richard Caborn: In line with the Freedom of Information Act, I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 27 November enclosing information relevant to his request. This followed receipt of his letter of 9 November clarifying the scope of his information request.

Official Visits: Australia

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many officials are accompanying the Minister for Sports on his trip to Australia; what the estimated cost of the visit is; and whom he intends to meet.

Richard Caborn: I was accompanied by an assistant private secretary and a press officer. The estimated total cost of the trip was £20,050.
	I held meetings with Richard Brading (Principal Solicitor, Betsafe), Brian Farrell (Casino Control Authority), Michael Foggo (Commissioner NSW Office of Liquor and Gaming), hon. Nick Xenophon (SA Legislative Council member) and hon. Paul Caica MP (SA Minister responsible for Gambling) to discuss problem gambling and gambling regulation. I discussed Olympic legacy issues at meetings with Ron Walker (Chair Melbourne 2006), hon. Sandra Nori MP (NSW Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation), hon. Michael Wright MP (SA Minister for Sport) and Bob Adby (NSW Department for Arts, Sport and Recreation). In addition, I met with SA Premier hon. Mike Rann MP and ex-Premier John Brennan, hon. Ian McLachlan (Chairman Adelaide Oval), Percy Sonn (ICC President), Creagh O'Connor (Chairman Cricket Australia) to discuss sport and cricket matters.

Publicly Owned Art

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the percentage of publicly owned art which is held in London.

David Lammy: No such estimate has been made, either by number of works of art or by value.

Publicly Owned Art

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of  (a) the quantity and  (b) the value of art held by publicly owned galleries that is not on display.

David Lammy: It is generally estimated that there are 200 million objects in registered or accredited museums in the UK. It is estimated that, at any one time, approximately 90 per cent. of museum and gallery collections are not on display. There is no separate estimate, either by number or value, solely for works of art in publicly owned galleries.

Publicly Owned Art

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the value of art sold by local authorities in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: The occurrence of local authorities selling art from their museums and galleries is rare. No central record is kept at national level, but any such sales should have taken place in accordance with disposal policies designed to protect the collection.

Recruitment

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department spent on recruitment advertising in each of the last three years.

David Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's expenditure on external recruitment in the last three years was as follows, £70,786 in 2003-04, £34,931 in 2004-05 and £130,980 in 2005-06. It is not possible to separate the costs of advertising from the other costs associated with external recruitment, e.g. sifting, interviewing etc.

Renaissance in the Regions

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department has spent administering the Renaissance in the Regions scheme.

David Lammy: The Renaissance in the Regions programme is administered by a small central team at the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). The total cost of the MLA's administration team to date has been less than 1 per cent. of the Renaissance programme budget. Details are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Renaissance administration costs 
			   Number of staff  Total administration cost (£) 
			 2002-03 1 45,000 
			 2003-04 3 135,000 
			 2004-05 4 180,000 
			 2005-06 5 225,000 
			 Total — 585,000

Renaissance in the Regions

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures the Government are taking to encourage London galleries to loan works of art to galleries outside the capital.

David Lammy: The Department encourages national museums to loan collection pieces by means of a specific performance indicator incorporated into funding agreements. This measures
	"all venues to which objects from the collection are loaned".
	Our consultation document "Understanding the Future: Priorities for England's Museums", published on 23 October suggests that new collaborative approaches to sharing and developing collections should be created over the next decade. This will build on the strong base of partnership working, which already exists.

Rugby

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the RFU's Community Club Development Programme during its first three years of operation; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 4 December 2006
	£100 million of Community Club Development Programme (CCDP) funding is available to 19 National Sports Governing Bodies.
	Since 2003, the Rugby Football Union has awarded £10.6 million of CCDP funding to over 160 sports facility projects.
	Early findings from Sport England's monitoring and evaluation of CCDP indicate average linked increases in participation rates (31 per cent.); club membership (28 per cent.); coaching (64 per cent.); and number of volunteers (64 per cent.).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost per week was of section 4 support for a failed asylum seeker in the latest period for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The average cost per week for support of a failed asylum seeker on section 4 support was last calculated in 2005 as approximately £129 per week.

Asylum Seekers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers were receiving section 4 support on 30 September  (a) 2006,  (b) 2005 and  (c) 2004.

Liam Byrne: The number of failed asylum seekers receiving section 4 support is only available from March 2005. The number of failed asylum seekers in receipt of section 4 support is published on a quarterly and annual basis. The latest publication covering the third quarter of 2006 is available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Asylum Seekers

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those given community service orders were failed asylum seekers in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not available centrally.

Bluewater

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what police presence is located at the Bluewater shopping mall estate; and whether any police on duty at the estate are armed;
	(2)  how quickly the local police force can arrive at the Bluewater shopping centre in the event of a large scale event.

Tony McNulty: The chief constable is responsible for the day to day operational management of the force.

British Crime Survey

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether specific information about a crime obtained during a British Crime Survey may be passed to the police by the person carrying out a survey.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 23 November 2006
	Data collected during the British Crime Survey is done so in accordance with Market Research Society protocols on data confidentiality and protection.

Cautions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cautions have been issued in each of the last five years; for what categories of offences cautions were issued; and whether cautions can be repeated for the same offence.

Vernon Coaker: Data on cautions issued in the last five years by offence type are presented in Table 3.1 of Criminal Statistics 2005 which can be found at the following web site link: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimstats05.html
	Guidance on the use of the Simple Caution for adult offenders is set out in Home Office circular 30/2005. The police (and CPS where appropriate) will consider whether a caution is appropriate to the offence and the offender and whether it is likely to be effective in the circumstances. If the suspect has previously received a caution, a further caution should not normally be considered. However, if there has been a sufficient lapse of time to suggest that a previous caution has had a significant deterrent effect (two years or more), a caution can be used.
	In the case of those aged 10-17 cautions were replaced by the Final Warning Scheme under Sections 65 and 66 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 which introduced reprimands and final warnings. Depending on the seriousness of the offence, a reprimand is normally given for a first offence and a final warning for a second offence. If a young person who has been given a final warning commits a further offence he or she must be charged (the only exception is where it is at least two years since the previous warning and the offence is not so serious as to require a charge, in which case a further warning can be given).

C-NOMIS IT Project

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the C-NOMIS IT project is  (a) on budget and  (b) on schedule.

John Reid: The C-NOMIS project is currently on schedule to meet its next milestone, to implement its first release in the HM Prison Service designated early adopter, HMP Albany on 10 December 2006.
	The final decision to go live in Albany will be taken by the NOMIS Programme Board on 6 December 2006 on the basis of the outcome of the User Acceptance Test and the operational readiness of the prison to accept implementation.
	Progress on further releases and implementation is the subject of a detailed review planned to report by the end of January 2007. This will be considered along with any feedback from implementation in HMP Albany to finalise the way forward and timing.
	The project is currently within allocated funds. The business case for the project is regularly reviewed and more than meets the criteria for return on the investment proposed.

Community Support Officers

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers there are per hundred thousand of population in each police force in England and Wales.

Tony McNulty: The available data are given in the table.
	
		
			  Police community support officer strength (FTE)( 1)  per 100,000 population( 2)  by police force in England and Wales 
			   Number 
			 Avon and Somerset 8.6 
			 Bedfordshire 7.1 
			 Cambridgeshire 13.7 
			 Cheshire 7.5 
			 Cleveland 18.1 
			 Cumbria 3.4 
			 Derbyshire 4.3 
			 Devon And Cornwall 4.6 
			 Dorset 8.7 
			 Durham 11.2 
			 Essex 11.7 
			 Gloucestershire 12.6 
			 Greater Manchester 9.9 
			 Hampshire 1.7 
			 Hertfordshire 13.4 
			 Humberside 2.2 
			 Kent 6.0 
			 Lancashire 12.8 
			 Leicestershire 14.4 
			 Lincolnshire 11.5 
			 Merseyside 14.3 
			 London(3) 31.3 
			 Norfolk 8.0 
			 Northamptonshire 6.2 
			 Northumbria 9.2 
			 North Yorkshire 9.3 
			 Nottinghamshire 10.9 
			 South Yorkshire 9.4 
			 Staffordshire 6.6 
			 Suffolk 4.3 
			 Surrey 11.8 
			 Sussex 17.0 
			 Thames Valley 6.1 
			 Warwickshire 12.2 
			 West Mercia 7.2 
			 West Midlands 9.8 
			 West Yorkshire 21.9 
			 Wiltshire 9.1 
			 Dyfed-Powys 5.2 
			 Gwent 13.7 
			 North Wales 8.6 
			 South Wales 9.1 
			 Total 12.8 
			 (1) Full-time equivalent figures include those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (2) Population data taken from mid-2002 Population Estimates (ONS). (3) PCSOs per 100,000 population for City of London and Metropolitan Police are combined.

Community Support Officers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers there were in each police force at  (a) 1 January 2005,  (b) 1 January 2006 and  (c) the latest figures available.

Tony McNulty: The available data are given in the table. Police strength is collated by financial year and mid-financial year and figures are given as at the last day of the period (31 March and 30 September respectively). As the requested dates do not align with the financial year periods, the strength or a number of periods has been provided. The data are available in the relevant Home Office Statistical Bulletins for Police Service Strength, England and Wales. The most recent publication can be downloaded here: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1306.pdf
	
		
			  Police community support officer strength (FTE)( 1)  by police force in England and Wales as at 30 September 2004 to 31 March 2006 
			   September 2004  March 2005  September 2005  March 2006 
			 Avon and Somerset 82 139 146 130 
			 Bedfordshire 26 37 43 41 
			 Cambridgeshire 56 87 92 101 
			 Cheshire 47 81 77 75 
			 Cleveland 75 98 86 100 
			 Cumbria 6 17 19 17 
			 Derbyshire 0 43 43 42 
			 Devon and Cornwall 57 74 75 74 
			 Dorset 22 47 56 61 
			 Durham 36 69 72 67 
			 Dyfed-Powys 4 25 24 26 
			 Essex 80 179 193 192 
			 Gloucestershire 49 72 62 72 
			 Greater Manchester 198 269 264 251 
			 Gwent 26 77 81 76 
			 Hampshire 0 26 23 30 
			 Hertfordshire 75 98 135 139 
			 Humberside 0 20 20 20 
			 Kent 58 105 103 97 
			 Lancashire 115 161 159 184 
			 Leicestershire 54 103 119 136 
			 Lincolnshire 46 75 78 78 
			 London, City of 0 14 14 11 
			 Merseyside 90 170 161 196 
			 Metropolitan police 1,810 2,144 2,053 2,315 
			 Norfolk 55 68 67 65 
			 North Wales 5 46 61 58 
			 North Yorkshire 46 75 69 71 
			 Northamptonshire 27 39 38 40 
			 Northumbria 51 130 143 129 
			 Nottinghamshire 69 113 112 112 
			 South Wales 65 107 116 111 
			 South Yorkshire 57 125 125 121 
			 Staffordshire 13 63 62 70 
			 Suffolk 15 34 33 30 
			 Surrey 77 115 102 126 
			 Sussex 183 228 231 257 
			 Thames Valley 7 98 109 130 
			 Warwickshire 43 56 56 64 
			 West Mercia 67 81 86 85 
			 West Midlands 40 219 247 252 
			 West Yorkshire 264 394 433 462 
			 Wiltshire 28 41 38 57 
			 Total PCSO strength 4,125 6,261 6,324 6,769 
			 (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. Includes those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. Data for strength as at September 2006 will be published in January 2007.

Correspondence

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters of  (a) 6 September 2006 and  (b) 1 November 2006 from the hon. Member for Richmond Park on the case of Abioseh Daphlile Davies (Home Office reference 10-05-1986).

Liam Byrne: holding answer 27 November 2006
	I replied to the hon. Lady on 28 November 2006.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 3 October 2006 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. M. L Ullaha.

Liam Byrne: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 28 November.

Crime Statistics

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cautions were issued in  (a) Essex and  (b) the Mid-Essex division of Essex constabulary area for (i) violence against the person, (ii) theft and handling stolen goods, (iii) sexual offences, (iv) criminal damage, (v) robbery and (vi) fraud and forgery in 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 23 November 2006
	The information requested is provided in the following table. Data are provided for Essex police force area only as data are not available broken down by police division.
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned for indictable offences, by offence type, Essex police force area, 2005( 1,2) 
			  Offence  Number cautioned 
			 Violence against the person 1,342 
			 Sexual offences 40 
			 Burglary 177 
			 Robbery 10 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 1,903 
			 Fraud and forgery 176 
			 Criminal damage 40 
			 Drug offences 514 
			 Other indictable offences 115 
			 Total 4,317 
			 (1) These data are provided on the principal offence basis (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed on a consultancy basis in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies in each of the last five years for which information is available; and what the (i) average and (ii) longest period was for which a consultant was employed in each year.

Liam Byrne: The Department does not hold central records of how many staff have been employed on a consultancy basis in the Department and its agencies or the periods of time each consultant was employed. To obtain the information requested for each of the last five years would incur disproportionate cost.
	The use of external consultants in the Home Office and its agencies provides the Department with specialist knowledge, skill, capacity and technical expertise that is not otherwise available in-house.

Drink and Drug-driving

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of  (a) causing death through careless driving when under the influence of (i) drink and (ii) drugs,  (b) driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit and  (c) being in charge of a vehicle when unfit through the influence of drink in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform for the number of persons convicted of offences relating to driving while under the influence of drink or drugs in England and Wales 2005, can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of persons convicted of various offences relating to driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, in England and Wales, 2005( 1,2) 
			  Statute  Offence description  Found Guilty 
			 Road Traffic Act 1988 Sec 3A as added by the Road Traffic Act 1991 Sec 3 and amended by CJA 1993, Sec 67. Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs 66 
			 Road Traffic Act 1988 Sec 5(1 )(a). Driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle while having a breath, blood or urine alcohol concentration in excess of the prescribed limit. 72,127 
			 Road Traffic Act 1988 S.4(2) Being in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle while unfit to drive through drink or drugs.(impairment) Drink 101 
			 Total  72,294 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  RDS Office for Criminal Justice Reform

Drink and Drug-driving

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for drink-driving resulted in custodial sentences in each year from 1997 to 2004, broken down by police authority.

Vernon Coaker: Information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on convictions and custodial sentences for drink-driving offences by police force area 1997 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the table.
	Data for 2005 will be available in 2007.
	
		
			  Findings of guilt and immediate custodial sentences at all courts for offences of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs by police force area, 1997 to 2004 
			  Number of offences 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000 
			  Police force area  Findings of guilt  immediate custody ( 1)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody ( 1)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody ( 1)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody ( 1) 
			 Avon and Somerset 2,812 163 2,566 157 2,728 165 2,462 152 
			 Bedfordshire 1,146 119 1,060 96 869 87 797 89 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,092 56 1,060 62 941 43 793 41 
			 Cheshire 1,969 97 1,903 119 1,827 133 1,652 122 
			 Cleveland 926 61 870 63 811 57 777 56 
			 Cumbria 931 49 856 51 871 37 806 50 
			 Derbyshire 1,612 147 1,547 202 1,463 181 1,417 126 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,342 91 2,265 127 2,277 112 2,199 104 
			 Dorset 1,214 93 1,186 88 1,120 96 1,115 84 
			 Durham 1,044 66 1,035 53 1,137 81 1,124 76 
			 Essex 2,736 228 2,438 233 2,528 261 2,462 237 
			 Gloucestershire 1,067 48 985 36 889 51 804 37 
			 Greater Manchester 4,806 440 4,715 453 4,850 464 4,801 428 
			 Hampshire 3,774 243 3,597 231 3,725 213 3,472 244 
			 Hertfordshire 1,670 90 1,672 91 1,679 90 1,552 98 
			 Humberside 1,274 76 1,358 87 1,323 97 1,371 128 
			 Kent 2,321 97 2,627 155 2,633 133 2,592 134 
			 Lancashire 3,389 224 2,945 178 3,010 184 2,584 163 
			 Leicestershire 1,648 183 1,485 140 1,624 188 1,531 152 
			 Lincolnshire 1,088 47 979 36 941 44 816 48 
			 London, City of 436 8 301 9 236 5 162 4 
			 Merseyside 2,719 304 2,451 326 2,137 296 2,128 286 
			 Met police 16,165 1,270 13,889 1,050 12,414 838 11,801 891 
			 Norfolk 1,116 49 1,118 43 1,010 64 935 45 
			 Northamptonshire 1,107 109 1,062 73 1,058 91 782 90 
			 Northumbria 2,625 184 2,457 194 2,463 229 2,621 215 
			 North Yorkshire 1,365 77 1,205 77 1,124 60 1,073 67 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,031 255 1,804 247 1,802 262 1,722 210 
			 South Yorkshire 2,296 204 2,002 178 1,927 149 2,122 170 
			 Staffordshire (2) 2,036 132 1,955 140 1,711 143 n/a n/a 
			 Suffolk 1,050 53 1,042 60 1,089 71 902 74 
			 Surrey 1,380 64 1,328 58 1,417 47 1,539 61 
			 Sussex 2,373 110 2,113 113 2,224 120 2,112 136 
			 Thames Valley 4,070 215 3,896 195 3,725 216 3,496 212 
			 Warwickshire 837 44 784 53 856 38 786 42 
			 West Mercia 1,947 87 1,794 97 1,747 114 1,631 101 
			 West Midlands 6,351 598 5,582 532 4,775 532 4,559 451 
			 West Yorkshire 3,953 394 3,669 329 3,597 358 3,375 287 
			 Wiltshire 1,043 27 1,108 39 1,009 45 930 28 
			 England 93,761 6,802 86,709 6,471 83,567 6,395 79,671 6,076 
			 Dyfed Powys 1,029 44 995 38 944 48 858 45 
			 Gwent 1,166 61 1,203 84 1,079 78 1,211 99 
			 North Wales 1,354 96 1,306 95 1,248 94 1,332 92 
			 South Wales 2,892 257 2,903 239 2,526 282 2,757 255 
			 Wales 6,441 458 6,407 456 5,797 502 6,158 491 
			 England and Wales 100,202 7,260 93,116 6,927 89,364 6,897 85,829 6,567 
		
	
	
		
			   2001  2002  2003  2004 
			   Findings of guilt  Immediate custody ( 1)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody ( 1)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody 
			 Avon and Somerset 2,197 129 2,401 124 2,666 167 2,692 145 
			 Bedfordshire 914 79 955 82 1,072 72 1,028 65 
			 Cambridgeshire 813 51 852 41 933 56 1,083 52 
			 Cheshire 1,529 96 1,993 103 1,905 110 2,128 106 
			 Cleveland 887 77 921 71 981 61 1,071 60 
			 Cumbria 761 51 768 37 843 37 907 50 
			 Derbyshire 1,411 140 1,465 164 1,617 168 1,874 143 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,369 128 2,441 95 2,667 121 2,560 120 
			 Dorset 1,150 91 1,199 83 1,264 73 1,239 52 
			 Durham 1,097 86 1,136 68 1,170 77 1,277 80 
			 Essex 2,456 264 2,522 267 2,622 311 2,853 349 
			 Gloucestershire 865 39 926 44 890 37 913 38 
			 Greater Manchester 4,715 454 4,720 474 4,743 437 4,811 379 
			 Hampshire 3,464 235 3,846 243 3,663 234 3,743 199 
			 Hertfordshire 1,666 94 1,894 90 1,904 78 1,881 94 
			 Humberside 1,259 126 1,395 113 1,445 150 1,623 112 
			 Kent 2,575 165 2,745 152 2,811 179 3,010 155 
			 Lancashire 2,304 148 2,599 159 2,652 146 2,706 125 
			 Leicestershire 1,546 140 1,659 140 1,725 143 1,754 145 
			 Lincolnshire 877 60 847 56 1,111 42 1,209 46 
			 London, City of 162 10 221 12 230 4 169 5 
			 Merseyside 2,195 217 2,293 216 2,687 215 2,849 261 
			 Met police 11,260 928 12,905 927 12,621 922 13,227 832 
			 Norfolk 1,143 75 1,220 55 1,274 59 1,240 64 
			 Northamptonshire 399 65 236 35 799 65 922 73 
			 Northumbria 2,529 217 2,588 188 2,747 187 2,675 183 
			 North Yorkshire 1,066 55 1,119 63 1,194 51 1,131 40 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,598 187 1,420 129 1,644 149 1,669 111 
			 South Yorkshire 2,020 159 1,945 165 2,089 125 2,224 140 
			 Staffordshire (2) 1,513 136 1,704 143 1,733 141 1,733 124 
			 Suffolk 920 43 1,105 79 1,213 66 1,332 89 
			 Surrey 1,592 65 1,614 68 1,464 44 1,425 51 
			 Sussex 2,358 128 2,306 149 2,430 120 2,368 104 
			 Thames Valley 3,275 210 4,317 219 3,884 159 3,539 190 
			 Warwickshire 880 33 841 40 918 33 845 23 
			 West Mercia 1,740 91 1,719 93 1,797 100 1.689 103 
			 West Midlands 4,914 471 5,050 438 5,233 420 5,584 423 
			 West Yorkshire 3,220 331 3,564 268 3,720 260 3,897 276 
			 Wiltshire 1.045 53 1,005 54 1,031 62 1,024 39 
			 England 78,684 6,127 84,456 5,947 87,392 5,881 89,904 5,646 
			 Dyfed Powys 867 36 927 47 995 46 986 47 
			 Gwent 1,152 76 1,074 74 1,149 94 1,188 69 
			 North Wales 1,227 87 1,270 71 1,326 76 1,349 75 
			 South Wales 2,812 295 2,761 236 2,840 211 2,811 222 
			 Wales 6,058 494 6,032 428 6,310 427 6,334 413 
			 England and Wales 84,742 6,621 90.488 6,375 93,702 6,308 96,238 6,059 
			 n/a — not available (1) Immediate Custody includes sentences of Secure Training Order, Detention and Training Order, Young Offender Institution and Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment. (2) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates' courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. Work is under way to ensure that the magistrates courts case management system currently being implemented by the Department for Constitutional Affairs reports all motoring offences to the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. This will enable more complete figures to be disseminated. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when these data are used.

Drugs

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total annual seizure in London of  (a) herbal cannabis,  (b) skunk,  (c) cocaine,  (d) crack,  (e) heroin and  (f) ecstasy was in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Available information relates to seizures by the Metropolitan and City of London police forces between 1997 and 2004 and has been included in the area tables of annual Home Office drug seizure publications. Data for 2005 are expected to be published in the spring of 2007.
	Skunk is the generic name for only one of a hundred or so varieties of cannabis plant; figures collected centrally cannot be broken down to show how many of the cannabis plant seizures involved skunk.
	Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when the data are used.
	
		
			  Quantities of controlled drugs seized, Metropolitan and City of London police force areas, 1997 to 2004 
			   Cannabis (herbal)  Cannabis plants  Cocaine  Crack  Heroin  Ecstasy-type 
			 1997 750 9,580 20 30 230 16,000 
			 1998 660 8,170 30 20 120 199,000 
			 1999 490 4,500 50 10 290 48,000 
			 2000 430 4,080 90 10 290 293,000 
			 2001 1,100 4,420 60 20 140 427,000 
			 2002 1,390 4,870 50 10 180 105,000 
			 2003 540 4,800 630 210 210 348,000 
			 2004 310 13,310 400 40 180 80,000 
			  Note: 1. All quantities are in kilograms except for ecstasy-type (doses) and cannabis plants.  2. All figures have been rounded to nearest 10, except for ecstasy-type (thousand).

Drugs

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drugs finds were made in prisons in each year since 1997, broken down by drug type.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on drug finds, broken down by drug type, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Drugs

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent estimate is of total value of annual trade in each major illegal drug type in the UK.

Vernon Coaker: Information provided in the following table relates to aggregate expenditure for each major drug type in 2003-04. It was published in Home Office Online Report 16/06 "Measuring different aspects of problem drug use methodological development" available at: http:/www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/rdsolr1606.pdf.
	Every effort has been made to ensure these estimates are accurate. However, the methods used to obtain them are complex and it should be recognised that there is a plus or minus range. These are shown as the error margins quoted in the table. These should not be regarded as precise statements of reliability and care should be taken to ensure that these limitations are taken into account when the data are used.
	
		
			  Baseline estimates of UK drug market size for 2003-04 
			   Expenditure (£ million)  Error margin 
			 Cannabis 1,031 ±432.5 
			 Amphetamines 312 ±81.9 
			 Ecstasy 267.8 ±85.9 
			 Powder cocaine 973.3 ±267.3 
			 Crack 1,480.4 ±394.29 
			 Heroin 1,206.7 ±227.65 
			 Total 5,271.2 ±1,310 
			  Note: The error margins quoted in the table are a very rough attempt to quantify the large range of uncertainty surrounding the estimates. They should not be regarded as precise statements of reliability.

Fireworks

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many shopkeepers were cautioned for fireworks offences in 2005;
	(2)  how many individuals under 18 years of age were cautioned for possession of fireworks in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005;
	(3)  how many individuals have been cautioned for firework offences after the 11pm watershed since its introduction.

Tony McNulty: Data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform for the number of persons cautioned for various firework offences, in England and Wales 2004 to 2005, can be found in the table.
	It is not possible to identify the number of shopkeepers cautioned for firework offences, nor is it possible to identify the number of individuals who have been cautioned for firework offences after the 11pm watershed since its introduction as the data are not collected at this level of detail.
	
		
			  The number of defendants cautioned for various firework offences, in England and Wales, 2004 to 2005 ( 1,2) 
			Under 18 years  All ages 
			  Statute  Offence description  2004  2005  2004  2005 
			 Explosives Act 1875, Sec 80. Throwing, casting or firing any fireworks in or into any highway, street, etc public place. 8 8 14 9 
			 Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol, etc.) Act 1985 Section 2 A(1) Being in possession of fireworks etc. in, or when entering, a designated sports ground. 0 0 0 1 
			 Fireworks Act 2003 S.11(1)(4) Contravening a prohibition imposed by fireworks regulations. 0 13 0 16 
			 Total  8 21 14 26 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  RDS Office for Criminal Justice Reform

Foreign Nationals

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the intended presumption of deportation of foreign nationals who are convicted of criminal offences with the Human Rights Act 1998.

Liam Byrne: Any legislation we bring forward on the deportation of foreign national prisoners will be consistent with our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and hence with the Human Rights Act.

Foreign Nationals

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals with valid visas were refused re-entry to the UK after leaving the UK for less than a month in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The immigration and nationality directorate do not collate figures on how many foreign nationals with valid visas are refused re-entry to the UK after leaving the UK for less than a month.

Foreign Prisoners

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign prisoners are awaiting deportation; and what the average length of time is for which such prisoners have been waiting.

Liam Byrne: The IND Director General, Lin Homer, wrote to the Home Affairs Committee on 9 October 2006 and provided the latest and most accurate figures the Department has on deportation of foreign national prisoners. She explained that since April 2006, approximately 3,800 new foreign national prisoners have been referred for deportation consideration and action is now being pursued against around 1,750 individuals. Over the same period, our records also show that in total over 1,000 FNPs have been removed or deported from the UK.
	In his oral statement to the House on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 32, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made clear that he had made a commitment that the Department would not release those foreign national prisoners who ought to be considered for deportation before such consideration had been completed and we would continue to detain them until that was achieved. He explained that this process of dealing with the backlog while maintaining deportation consideration for everyone who is released from prison will contribute towards a higher prison population until the position is fully resolved.
	He also set out that as part of improving processes for dealing with foreign national prisoners, we will reach the position by the spring of 2007 where the consideration of deportation for all foreign nationals will begin six months before the end of their sentences and that we are making steady progress towards that as we deal with the backlog.

Human Trafficking

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance his Department provides to women trafficked into the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office funds the POPPY scheme, managed by Eaves Housing for Women in London, which can accommodate up to 25 adult women at any one time on a rolling basis. This scheme provides safe accommodation and a range of support services, such as counselling, health checks, translation and interpretation services and access to legal advice for female victims who have been trafficked into prostitution, provided the victims are willing to come forward to, and actively assist the authorities.
	In April this year we extended the funding for the scheme to £2.4 million over the next two years. As well as funding the 25 crisis spaces this funding will allow for 10 additional "step-down" places, the introduction of a specialist national outreach service and the development of a resource information pack for victims, service providers and law enforcement agency staff.
	Additionally on 3 October I launched the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre which will become a central point for the development of police expertise and operational co-ordination as part of the delivery of an end to end victim-centred strategy to combat human trafficking. As part of its work the centre has begun to develop close links with those non-governmental organisations focused on providing support for victims.

Human Trafficking

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the UK will ratify the Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings.

Vernon Coaker: We are currently considering whether to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. We are examining how the Convention's approach could best be harmonised with effective immigration controls.

Human Trafficking

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate he has made of the numbers of women and children being trafficked into the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: It remains difficult to make an accurate assessment of the extent of the trafficking problem. There are no statistics that clearly indicate the precise number of women or children trafficked to the UK, although intelligence suggests there has been an increase over the last two or three years. The emerging findings from a Home Office research paper due to be published in 2007 suggests that at any one time in 2003 there were in the region of 4,000 victims of trafficking for prostitution in the UK.
	The analysis of information obtained from Operation Pentameter will assist in further developing our understanding of the scale of the problem in this area. In relation to the subject of child trafficking into the UK, we have commissioned the Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP) to scope both its scale and nature.

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate the Government have made of the number of women trafficked into this country for the purposes of sexual exploitation in the last 12 months.

Vernon Coaker: Referral figures from the POPPY Project show that there have been 161 women referred to the project in the period December 2005 to October 2006.
	It remains difficult to make an accurate assessment of the extent of the trafficking problem. There are no statistics that clearly indicate the precise number of women trafficked to the UK within the last 12 months, although intelligence suggests there has been an increase over the last two or three years. The emerging findings from a Home Office research paper due to be published in 2007 suggests that at any one time in 2003 there were in the region of 4,000 victims of trafficking for prostitution in the UK.
	An analysis of information obtained from Operation Pentameter will assist in further developing out understanding of the scale of the problem in this area.

Human Trafficking

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of how many women are trafficked into the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation in each of the last 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: It remains difficult to make an accurate assessment of the extent of the trafficking problem. There are no statistics that clearly indicate the precise number of women trafficked to the UK over the last 10 years, although intelligence suggests there has been an increase over the last two or three years. The emerging findings from a Home Office research paper due to be published in 2007 suggests that at any one time in 2003 there were in the region of 4,000 victims of trafficking for prostitution in the UK.
	An analysis of information obtained from Operation Pentameter will assist in further developing our understanding of the scale of the problem in this area.

Illegal Workers

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which section of  (a) his Department and  (b) other Government Departments have the responsibility of (i) identifying workers working illegally and (ii) taking action in such circumstances.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 28 November 2006
	The immigration and nationality directorate (IND) has the prime responsibility for identifying workers taking action in such circumstances.
	A number of other Government Departments may also encounter evidence of illegal migrant working during the course of their own operations and legal gateways exist for a range of law enforcement agencies to share such information with IND. IND looks to maximise the number of illegal workers removed from the UK in line with public protection undertakings and other operational priorities.
	We are currently developing a cross-government enforcement strategy to shut down fraudulent access to benefits and services, tackle illegal working and remove more of the people who are not entitled to be here, as announced in the IND Review.

Knife Crime

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those convicted of bladed article offences and sentenced to imprisonment in England and Wales received sentences of  (a) up to six months,  (b) six to 12 months,  (c) 12 to 18 months and  (d) 18 to 24 months in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: The information requested, relating to England and Wales for the years 2001 to 2005, is contained in the table.
	
		
			  Persons sentenced to immediate custody for bladed article offences, England and Wales, 2001 to 2005 
			  Offence  Statute  Custodial sentence length  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Having an article with a blade or point in a public place Criminal Justice Act 1988, section 139 Less than 6 months (%) 91 88 88 88 88 
			   6 months and less than 12 months (%) 8 10 9 11 9 
			   12 months and less than 18 months (%) 1 1 2 1 2 
			   18 months and less than 24 months (%) 0 1 1 0 0 
			   24 months (%) 0 0 0 (1)— 0 
			   Total (number) 589 766 755 803 965 
			 Having an article with a blade or point on school premises Criminal Justice Act 1988, section 139A(1) as added by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 section 4(1) Less than 6 months (%) 33 100 83 92 80 
			   6 months and less than 12 months (%) 67 (1)— 17 8 (1)— 
			   12 months and less than 18 months (%) (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 20 
			   18 months and less than 24 months (%) (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			   24 months (%) (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			   Total (number) 3 7 6 12 5 
			 
			 Total of both the above  Less than 6 months (%) 91 88 88 88 88 
			   6 months and less than 12 months (%) 8 10 9 11 9 
			   12 months and less than 18 months (%) 1 1 2 1 2 
			   18 months and less than 24 months (%) 0 1 1 0 0 
			   24 months (%) 0 0 0 (1)— 0 
			   Total (number|) 592 773 761 815 970 
			   
			  Other offences that may include bladed articles  
			 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse Prevention of Crime Act 1953, section 1 Less than 6 months (%) 81 80 78 80 78 
			   6 months and less than 12 months (%) 13 13 14 15 16 
			   12 months and less than 18 months (%) 3 4 4 3 4 
			   18 months and less than 24 months (%) 2 2 2 1 1 
			   24 months or more (%) 1 2 2 1 1 
			   Total (number) 634 787 760 817 829 
			 
			 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises Criminal Justice Act 1988, section 139(2) as added by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 section 4(1) Less than 6 months (%) 100 40 25 50 33 
			   6 months and less than 12 months (%) (1)— 60 25 25 67 
			   12 months and less than 18 months (%) (1)— (1)— 25 25 (1)— 
			   18 months and less than 24 months (%) (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			   24 months or more (%) (1)— (1)— 25 (1)— (1)— 
			   Total (number) 3 5 4 4 3 
			 
			 Total of both the above  Less than 6 months (%) 81 80 78 80 78 
			   6 months and less than 12 months (%) 13 13 14 15 16 
			   12 months and less than 18 months (%) 3 4 4 4 4 
			   18 months and less than 24 months (%) 2 2 2 1 1 
			   24 months or more (%) 1 2 2 1 1 
			   Total (number) 637 792 764 821 832 
			 (1) Nil. 0% = less than 0.5%.  Note:  Although care is taken in collating and analysing the returns used to compile these figures, the data are of necessity subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. Consequently, although figures are shown to the last digit in order to provide a comprehensive record of the information collected, they are not necessarily accurate to the last digit shown.  Source:  RDS-NOMS, Home Office

Legislation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his policy to assess the impact of each bill before Parliament on future resource requirements of the police and enforcement authorities.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 28 November 2006
	The likely costs and benefits of any Bill are fully considered before it is proceeded with.

London Olympics

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the cost of policing the Olympic sites; and if he will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: I have been asked to reply.
	The additional cost of the site security of the Olympic Park, a consequence of the London terrorist bombings of 7 July 2006, was included in the £900 million increase in the core costs of the Olympic Park that I announced to the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport on 21 November 2006. The Government are continuing to review the wider policing and security requirements.
	We expect to be in a position to release information about the overall budget for the London 2012 Olympic games and Paralympic games next year.

Migrant Workers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department will define the term self-employed for the purposes of registering migrant workers from Romania and Bulgaria after 1 January 2007.

Liam Byrne: Whether a person is self-employed or employed is determined by case law, based on the contractual terms under which that person is engaged. The responsibility to determine the employment status of a worker for tax and national insurance contributions purposes rests with the engager, based on the contractual terms determined by the engager.
	HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has responsibility for employment status issues relating to tax and national insurance contributions. HMRC provides employment status opinions, but if an engager disputes the opinion it is ultimately for the Tax Commissioners to decide employment status. HMRC also polices employment status: ensuring the correct employment status has been applied is one of the roles of HMRC's compliance staff when reviewing employers and contractors.

Mr. Litvinenko

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mr. Litvinenko requested protection from the  (a) police,  (b) his Department and  (c) another Government agency before his death.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 30 November 2006
	The Home Office does not comment on individual's personal protective security issues.

National Single Non-emergency Number

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what parts of the United Kingdom the national single non-emergency number is available; and what funding is available for the continued availability of the number in these areas.

Tony McNulty: The new single non-emergency number service 101 is now available in five police and local authority partnerships across England and Wales: Northumbria and Tyne and Wear, Sheffield, Leicester and Rutland, Cardiff, and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
	The Home Office is committed to the continued availability of the 101 service in these areas, though it is not possible to confirm at this time exactly what funding will be available beyond the 2007-08 financial year until future budgets have been finalised following the current Comprehensive Spending Review.

National Single Non-emergency Number

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost has been of introducing the 101 non-emergency national number.

Tony McNulty: The cost of developing and implementing the single non-emergency number 101 in the five Wave one areas was £7.47 million.

Operation Scully

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what format his Department holds information relating to  (a) the cost of Operation Scully and  (b) the number of police officers, immigration officers and officials involved in Operation Scully; and if he will place in the Library a copy of that information.

Liam Byrne: The director general of the immigration and nationality directorate (IND) wrote to the Home Affairs Committee on 9 October and explained the enforcement resources used to track down those offenders released without deportation consideration. There is no estimate of the total cost of Operation Scully because the Department has not captured the costs of this operation separately from its normal business costs. Existing resources were redeployed from within IND to deal with the increased immigration-related activities associated with this operation.

Police

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total annual cost would have been of an increase in police pay of 2.2 per cent. as proposed by the Official Side; and what the cost will be of the 3 per cent. the Police Arbitration Panel awarded.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office has estimated that increasing police officer pay by 2.2 per cent would increase the police officer paybill in England and Wales by £154 million per year and increasing police officer pay by 3 per cent would cost £210 million; a difference of £56 million per year.

Police

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what total amount was allocated to Northamptonshire police under the National Funding Formula over the last five years; and how much was available for drawing down by the Northamptonshire police over the same period.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		
			  Northamptonshire's funding 2002-07 
			  £ 
			   General government grants  Specific grants and capital provision  Total government grants 
			 2002-03 59,279,178 5,131,002 64,410,180 
			 2003-04 62,224,177 9,320,855 71,545,032 
			 2004-05 64,271,295 7,453,179 71,724,474 
			 2005-06 67,782,696 7,564,320 75,347,016 
			 2005-06(1) 67,163,000 — — 
			 2006-07 69,245,266 10,462,991 79,708,257 
			 (1) Adjusted for comparison purposes following the transfer of pensions and security funding from general grant in 2006-07

Police

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civilian staff are employed in each police force area in England and Wales.

Tony McNulty: This data has previously been published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin, Police Strength in England and Wales 31st March 2006 (13/06), which is available in the Library of the House and can also be downloaded from http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1306.pdf.
	Tables 10a and 10b in the bulletin contain the numbers of police staff by each force in England and Wales. (Civilian staff have been referred to as police staff since March 2003.) Figures for police community support officers, traffic wardens and designated officers (s.38) are also given in the tables.

Police

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints about insufficient funding of policing his Department has received from each police authority in the last six months.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 4 December 2006
	Ministers and officials in the Home Office have regular discussions with police forces and authorities, on both a formal and informal basis, during which the subject of police funding may be raised.

Population Statistics: South-west

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) asylum seekers,  (b) immigrants and  (c) migrant workers have settled in the South West region in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 28 November 2006
	Statistics on the location of asylum seekers in the UK are linked to the available information on the support that the asylum seeker receives. The number of asylum seekers in receipt of support from IND is published on a quarterly and annual basis, broken down by Government office region and local authority. The latest publication covering the third quarter of 2006 is available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. Further breakdowns by parliamentary constituency are also available from the Library of the House.
	It is not possible to say how many people were granted indefinite leave to remain (settlement) in the South West region. Statistics relating to persons granted settlement in the United Kingdom are published annually in Command Papers entitled "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom". These publications are available from the Library of the House and via the Home Office website, http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Prisons

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what occasions in the last six months prisoners in closed conditions were moved as a group to Leyhill prison on out-of-area placements; how many such prisoners were so moved; which prisons they were moved from in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table gives figures for all group moves of prisoners to Leyhill prison on out of area placements and the prisons from which they were moved, for the last six months:
	
		
			  Group moves of prisoners to Leyhill prison on out of area placements and the prisons from which they were moved for the last six months 
			  Date of placement  Sending establishment  Number of prisoners moved 
			 13 June 2006 Swansea 5 
			 28 July 2006 Bullingdon 4 
			 3 August 2006 Featherstone 2 
			 7 August 2006 Bullingdon 2 
			 8 August 2006 Bullingdon 2 
			 13 September 2006 Swansea 4 
			 14 September 2006 Bullingdon 2 
			 18 September 2006 Shrewsbury 9 
			 19 September 2006 Parc 7 
			 22 September 2006 Blakenhurst 7 
			 26 September 2006 Swansea 5 
			 28 September 2006 Blakenhurst 6 
			 28 September 2006 Cardiff 6 
			 30 September 2006 Birmingham 12 
			 3 October 2006 Blakenhurst 8 
			 4 October 2006 Stafford 4 
			 5 October 2006 Birmingham 11 
			 9 October 2006 Blakenhurst 6 
			 10 October 2006 Bullingdon 2 
			 11 October 2006 Shrewsbury 5 
			 12 October 2006 Birmingham 8 
			 18 October 2006 Swansea 6 
			 19 October 2006 Blakenhurst 6 
			 25 October 2006 Whatton 2 
			 26 October 2006 Blakenhurst 5 
			 31 October 2006 Blakenhurst 5 
			 9 November 2006 Blakenhurst 6 
			 10 November 2006 Birmingham 6

Prisons

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) suicides,  (b) attempted suicides,  (c) self-harm incidents and  (d) assaults on inmates by other inmates have taken place in HM prisons in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 28 November 2006
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 28 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 671-72W, to question number 103622 for the information requested at  (a) and  (b) of his question.
	The information requested at  (c) and  (d) in the question is provided in the following tables. In December 2002, a new self-harm incident recording form (F213SH) was introduced, which captures more criteria than previously. Consequently there was a 60 per cent. increase in cases recorded. It is not recommended to compare pre-2003 and post-2003 self-harm figures. Improved recording over the years also means that the annual number of prisoner on prisoner assaults before 2000 are not readily comparable with later years.
	
		
			  Self-harm incidents 
			   Thousand 
			 1997 1.5 
			 1998 3.1 
			 1999 3.6 
			 2000 4.9 
			 2001 7.8 
			 2002 10 
			 2003(1) 16 
			 2004(1) 19 
			 2005(1) 23 
		
	
	
		
			  Prisoner on prisoner assaults 
			   Thousand 
			 1997(2) 2.1 
			 1998(2) 3.8 
			 1999(2) 5.5 
			 2000 7.2 
			 2001 7.9 
			 2002 8.7 
			 2003 9 
			 2004 9.4 
			 2005 10.8 
			 (1) In December 2002, a new self-harm incident recording form (F213SH) was introduced, which captures more criteria than previously. Consequently there was a 60 per cent. increase in cases recorded. This reporting increase has tailed off but a more realistic picture of the levels of self-harm now exists. It is not recommended to compare pre-2003 and post-2003 self-harm figures. (2) Due to improved recording over the years the annual number of prisoner on prisoner assaults before 2000 are not readily comparable with later years.  Notes: 1. The tables show annual numbers of self-harm and assaults incidents in prisons in England and Wales to the nearest thousand. 2. The number of self-harm incidents and assaults reported are derived from the Prison Service Incident Reporting System (IRS). This system processes high volumes of data supplied by prisons and is constantly being updated. The numbers indicated provide a useful indication of the realistic scale of assaults and self-harm incidents, many of which are relatively minor. The numbers should not be interpreted as absolute. 3. The increase in reported numbers of assaults reflects, in part, the increase in prison population.

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many calls were received by the Prison Service wrongdoing line in the year ending 31 March 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 4 December 2006
	In the year ending 31 March 2006, 99 calls were made to the Prison Service wrongdoing line at the Professional Standards Unit.

Prisons

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people detained in prison are diagnosed as psychopathic; and what trends there have been in the number diagnosed over the last 10 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry (2005), No. 186, p339 to 345 suggests that between about 4 and 7 per cent. of prisoners would meet the criteria of psychopathy. We have no information about how this percentage might have varied over the past 10 years.

Prisons

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the plans by the governor of HMP Wymott to review the work-life balance policy at the prison.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Wymott has a Work Life Balance (WLB) scheme incorporated into its working patterns and nearly 20 per cent. of unified grades at the prison, up to senior officer level, have WLB arrangements in place. Wymott is currently in the process of reviewing all WLB agreements that are in operation, in accordance with Prison Service Order (PSO) 8010, Equal Opportunities, to ensure that staffing levels meet the establishment's needs.

Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to try to attract businessmen or businesswomen to become members of probation trusts; and what the remuneration will be for members of probation trusts.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In the current recruitment exercise for probation board chairs and members we have sought to attract applicants from across the public, private and not for profit sectors. We have particularly sought to attract individuals with 'business acumen' in whichever sector such skills have been obtained. During the present process we have written directly to the Magistrates' Association, and the LGA, as well as to such organisations as Lions and Rotary Clubs, to encourage applicants with diverse experiences. This has been supported by considerable additional activity to encourage applicants from BME and other traditionally under represented groups.
	The skills, abilities and business acumen we are seeking during the current recruitment campaign are the same as we would wish to see represented on probation trusts.
	The remuneration for trust chairs and members has not been yet been determined although presently, depending on the size of the area, probation chairs are paid between £15,400 and £27,500 and are asked to commit up to two days a week. Board members are paid at an hourly rate of £15.40 with a commitment of up to five days a month.

Road Safety

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were  (a) prosecuted and  (b) fined for (i) failing to wear a crash helmet and (ii) unlawful pillion riding in each year for which figures are available since 1997, broken down by police force area.

Vernon Coaker: Available information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform for the years 1997 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the table. 2005 data will be available early 2007.
	
		
			  Proceedings at magistrates courts and the number of fines given for offences of driving or riding on a motor cycle without wearing protective headgear( 1)  by police force area, England and Wales 1997-2004 
			  Number of offences 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000 
			  Police force area  Total proceedings  Fine  Total proceedings  Fine  Total proceedings  Fine  Total proceedings  Fine 
			 Avon and Somerset 66 16 43 13 51 9 36 9 
			 Bedfordshire 11 4 11 1 11 4 18 2 
			 Cambridgeshire 42 9 38 10 28 4 40 6 
			 Cheshire 38 10 50 17 53 24 54 22 
			 Cleveland 43 10 43 10 24 8 45 4 
			 Cumbria 44 7 39 8 33 3 31 6 
			 Derbyshire 63 13 89 28 42 10 40 9 
			 Devon and Cornwall 32 6 34 7 50 10 41 8 
			 Dorset 33 4 26 5 22 2 23 3 
			 Durham 54 12 49 13 54 16 76 22 
			 Essex 67 20 83 25 66 21 95 26 
			 Gloucestershire 31 3 15 5 19 4 23 4 
			 Greater Manchester 100 21 146 44 124 35 177 56 
			 Hampshire 74 14 117 30 84 26 83 22 
			 Hertfordshire 38 13 33 12 22 10 30 9 
			 Humberside 98 15 90 16 90 14 69 14 
			 Kent 46 26 49 16 42 17 56 17 
			 Lancashire 114 34 113 28 97 34 97 25 
			 Leicestershire 26 3 31 3 43 7 32 3 
			 Lincolnshire 43 13 39 8 27 11 43 12 
			 London, City of 4 3 2 2 3 1 2 2 
			 Merseyside 76 11 68 6 80 13 67 11 
			 Metropolitan Police 179 76 174 70 203 73 214 83 
			 Norfolk 33 12 30 10 36 15 46 18 
			 Northamptonshire 31 9 75 17 91 8 51 6 
			 Northumbria 149 23 199 33 197 27 163 24 
			 North Yorkshire 59 10 44 9 52 12 59 22 
			 Nottinghamshire 79 13 67 9 55 11 38 5 
			 South Yorkshire 113 18 89 11 102 15 110 22 
			 Staffordshire 45 5 48 10 35 10 49 12 
			 Suffolk 33 15 30 9 38 11 41 18 
			 Surrey 14 4 12 5 17 13 24 9 
			 Sussex 48 11 50 11 29 4 42 12 
			 Thames Valley 46 13 44 12 42 9 49 14 
			 Warwickshire 27 10 50 11 21 8 40 14 
			 West Mercia 69 26 71 10 58 17 55 10 
			 West Midlands 156 44 113 31 117 37 131 31 
			 West Yorkshire 105 13 114 19 114 16 107 8 
			 Wiltshire 23 7 25 9 15 3 27 7 
			 Dyfed Powys 23 12 13 7 15 7 32 14 
			 Gwent 38 18 28 17 33 10 24 9 
			 North Wales 27 16 27 14 19 15 15 6 
			 South Wales 78 16 82 10 74 18 81 17 
			 England and Wales 2,519 638 2,593 641 2,428 622 2,576 653 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of offences 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004 
			  Police force area  Total proceedings  Fine  Total proceedings  Fine  Total proceedings  Fine  Total proceedings  Fine 
			 Avon and Somerset 95 20 45 5 48 6 54 15 
			 Bedfordshire 12 4 22 2 17 2 18 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 33 10 33 4 17 3 24 6 
			 Cheshire 59 14 55 18 43 6 42 12 
			 Cleveland 56 12 60 12 56 16 66 15 
			 Cumbria 34 5 36 10 28 6 30 8 
			 Derbyshire 41 9 29 8 49 7 59 16 
			 Devon and Cornwall 51 11 36 18 30 5 50 13 
			 Dorset 24 7 22 2 26 — 13 1 
			 Durham 77 13 55 11 37 8 57 15 
			 Essex 87 28 57 13 55 14 63 13 
			 Gloucestershire 20 2 10 — 15 2 17 3 
			 Greater Manchester 190 62 155 37 161 41 169 50 
			 Hampshire 78 24 94 30 82 27 81 21 
			 Hertfordshire 41 11 35 9 37 10 52 17 
			 Humberside 81 15 59 4 78 8 64 18 
			 Kent 48 22 66 27 66 24 70 31 
			 Lancashire 102 16 95 14 98 18 85 21 
			 Leicestershire 42 9 42 9 62 4 53 5 
			 Lincolnshire 47 18 25 6 43 7 24 6 
			 London, City of 3 2 2 2 4 2 14 5 
			 Merseyside 95 13 57 9 106 17 106 12 
			 Metropolitan Police 223 81 235 71 218 59 298 106 
			 Norfolk 38 11 36 7 29 6 41 11 
			 Northamptonshire 19 1 1 — 16 1 19 7 
			 Northumbria 189 31 134 19 158 24 177 33 
			 North Yorkshire 43 4 52 9 44 8 35 6 
			 Nottinghamshire 52 11 54 4 64 7 58 7 
			 South Yorkshire 112 23 67 2 65 11 58 7 
			 Staffordshire 39 11 47 11 57 12 67 11 
			 Suffolk 51 11 35 8 39 9 39 19 
			 Surrey 15 5 15 3 28 7 23 4 
			 Sussex 37 8 30 9 24 5 24 4 
			 Thames Valley 53 13 38 8 48 14 53 15 
			 Warwickshire 24 5 17 2 27 7 19 8 
			 West Mercia 34 10 41 9 64 23 32 6 
			 West Midlands 189 59 145 36 122 34 165 63 
			 West Yorkshire 78 13 92 12 102 34 110 41 
			 Wiltshire 24 6 28 4 29 7 43 9 
			 Dyfed Powys 32 11 24 10 22 9 20 5 
			 Gwent 26 13 26 4 32 8 23 6 
			 North Wales 15 6 13 3 24 7 27 5 
			 South Wales 85 18 92 17 68 8 45 9 
			 England and Wales 2,694 678 2,312 498 2,438 533 2,587 686 
			 (1) Offences under the Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) regulations 1998; Road Traffic Act 1988 s. 16 (4).  Notes:  1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. Work is under way to ensure that the magistrates courts case management system currently being implemented by the Department for Constitutional Affairs reports all motoring offences to the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. This will enable more complete figures to be disseminated. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when these data are used.

Rural Security

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) special constables and  (b) farm, horse, country and poacher watch schemes were in place in rural counties in England and Wales in each year from 1997.

Tony McNulty: Data on special constabulary numbers are collected by police force area. They are published annually in Home Office Statistical Bulletins on police strength in England and Wales, which are available in the Library. Figures for the years 1997-2006 are set out in the table.
	The Home Office does not collect figures on the number or type of watch schemes in England and Wales. Watch schemes are not required to register with either the Home Office or police service.
	
		
			  The total strength( 1 ) for special constables by police force area (1997-2006) 
			   As at March: 
			  Police force area  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Avon and Somerset 759 621 547 459 400 364 345 305 396 408 
			 Bedfordshire 182 186 154 151 115 118 98 146 209 181 
			 Cambridgeshire 303 320 310 274 218 207 189 193 199 185 
			 Cheshire 475 459 407 350 290 191 161 173 192 225 
			 Cleveland 160 164 126 128 93 85 102 85 66 138 
			 Cumbria 189 198 204 176 156 102 94 77 126 152 
			 Derbyshire 428 380 317 282 275 260 249 301 369 429 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,148 1,024 918 870 804 689 645 602 582 572 
			 Dorset 289 315 305 298 267 253 214 210 230 264 
			 Durham 184 144 159 157 146 134 94 81 91 109 
			 Essex 634 638 544 483 445 381 371 349 363 439 
			 Gloucestershire 297 276 233 206 183 154 157 155 146 157 
			 Greater Manchester 685 598 523 457 367 338 340 345 380 424 
			 Hampshire 621 698 760 615 462 444 373 346 369 388 
			 Hertfordshire 297 306 238 216 198 206 193 206 226 232 
			 Humberside 340 324 269 246 212 207 157 209 328 330 
			 Kent 589 592 526 436 392 327 286 341 338 306 
			 Lancashire 483 489 449 382 360 363 351 336 319 366 
			 Leicestershire 415 406 316 247 162 143 149 159 181 168 
			 Lincolnshire 271 260 216 195 166 155 139 156 179 166 
			 London, City of 86 76 64 56 43 36 42 54 52 70 
			 Merseyside 401 419 458 476 541 468 503 371 259 345 
			 Metropolitan police 1,714 1,282 1138 758 774 680 692 742 697 1,221 
			 Norfolk 402 337 336 285 259 244 239 241 253 262 
			 Northamptonshire 316 288 230 199 188 177 189 197 242 237 
			 Northumbria 533 400 342 332 300 256 221 169 240 198 
			 North Yorkshire 362 358 276 217 182 185 177 160 173 189 
			 Nottinghamshire 620 558 461 411 335 341 261 295 333 361 
			 South Yorkshire 308 281 246 205 188 206 204 200 204 270 
			 Staffordshire 685 595 468 482 402 384 391 376 409 406 
			 Suffolk 379 397 420 391 349 308 275 266 267 293 
			 Surrey 297 235 224 175 149 187 212 255 289 280 
			 Sussex 472 442 393 352 306 306 303 181 200 197 
			 Thames Valley 656 609 569 472 418 356 369 341 375 327 
			 Warwickshire 381 345 261 260 221 209 190 169 190 211 
			 West Mercia 582 512 515 476 399 339 309 280 263 284 
			 West Midlands 945 889 731 680 617 598 637 715 959 1,021 
			 West Yorkshire 690 589 559 484 415 349 374 403 417 440 
			 Wiltshire 154 149 184 173 152 147 154 169 174 180 
			 Dyfed-Powys 283 254 237 202 191 157 152 151 167 194 
			 Gwent 157 119 113 119 137 142 130 136 144 137 
			 North Wales 341 358 400 247 207 125 133 124 124 136 
			 South Wales 361 366 338 267 254 277 173 218 198 281 
			 Total 43 forces in England and Wales 19,874 18,256 16,484 14,347 12,738 11,598 11,037 10,988 11,918 13,179 
			 (1) Total strength is based on headcount figures.

Rwanda

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any people suspected of participation in the Rwandan genocide have been detained in England and Wales in the last six months.

Joan Ryan: No one in England and Wales has been detained in the last six months on charges concerning the genocide which took place in Rwanda. But no one fleeing international justice should expect to find safe haven here.

Rwanda

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with Rwandan authorities on the potential for extradition to Rwanda of people suspected of participation in the Rwandan genocide.

Joan Ryan: As a matter of general policy, it would not be appropriate to comment on whether discussions of this kind have taken place with a foreign state.

Terrorist Briefings

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on which alleged terrorist cases involving  (a) Muslims and  (b) non-Muslims his Department has briefed the media in the last 12 months.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office does not collate information on religion in regards to alleged terrorist cases.
	The Home Office Press Office routinely briefs media on issues related to terrorism.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what  (a) meetings and  (b) correspondence he has had with pressure groups and charities in each of the last five years on his Department's anti-poverty strategy;
	(2)  what  (a) meetings and  (b) correspondence he has had with representatives of the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network on the development of his Department's anti-poverty strategy in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many people with experience of living in poverty are involved in the development of his Department's anti-poverty strategy; and if he will take steps to increase this figure.

David Hanson: During the development of "Lifetime Opportunities", the Government's Anti-Poverty and Social Inclusion Strategy for Northern Ireland, which was launched by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 13 November 2006. My officials met and corresponded with a range of pressure groups and charities from the voluntary and community sector including the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network (NIAPN).
	During the two extensive periods of public consultation which were held during 2004 and 2005, NIAPN on behalf of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, co-ordinated a number of province wide workshops which provided individuals, groups and representatives from areas experiencing poverty and social exclusion with an opportunity to comment on proposals for an Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland. In addition to providing written reports on each of the workshops NIPAN also submitted two formal consultation responses.
	One of the commitments provided in "Lifetime Opportunities" is the establishment of a ministerially led Forum which will oversee progress made against the strategy's objectives goals and targets. It is anticipated the Forum will include representatives from charities and groups from the voluntary and community sector representing the interests of individuals experiencing poverty and social exclusion.
	The Forum will be asked to advise on effective ways of engaging with those experiencing poverty as part of this process.

Fuel Poverty

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to tackle fuel poverty in Northern Ireland; what recent assessment he has made of the level of fuel poverty in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Fuel Poverty Strategy which was launched in 2004 set out the Government's plans to eradicate fuel poverty in all vulnerable and social households by 2010 and in all other households by 2016. Since then over £150 million has been spent on a range of programmes to address energy inefficiency in homes and increase benefit awareness, particularly of vulnerable people who rely on benefits. The 2004 Interim House Condition Survey, which was announced earlier this year, indicated that since the last House Condition Survey in 2001 the number of fuel poor households has reduced from 203,000 to 153,500.
	I have placed a copy of the latest annual progress report published in July 2006 in the Library of the House.

George Bruce Kelso

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what period NHS dental services were being provided at 14 The Square, Portaferry.

Paul Goggins: Mr. Kelso applied to open a new dental surgery at 14, The Square, Portaferry on 25 May 1995. The premises were inspected and approved by the Eastern Health and Social Services Board on 29 June 1995. Mr. Kelso withdrew from the Dental List at this address with effect from 31 January 2001.

High Hedges

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by his Department in introducing measures to address the problem of nuisance high hedges in Northern Ireland; and why no legislation has been introduced since the conclusion of his Department's consultation on this matter in October 2005.

David Cairns: In the absence of a place in the legislative programme, no further progress has been made since the consultation in 2005 and no legislation could be brought forward. The Department does intend to progress legislation when the programme permits.

Homelessness

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were registered as homeless in each Housing Executive district in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Those registered as homeless are full duty applicants: persons who are homeless, in priority need (i.e. people with families, young persons at risk of sexual or financial exploitation, single parents and vulnerable members of society) and not intentionally homeless. For the financial years 2001-02 to 2005-06 the numbers registered as homeless are as follows:
	
		
			  Housing Executive district  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Belfast1 212 278 164 177 284 
			 Be!fast2 284 296 314 344 430 
			 Belfast3 207 212 171 204 229 
			 Belfast4 223 259 205 251 278 
			 Belfast5 116 116 136 164 251 
			 Belfast6 412 562 492 440 512 
			 Belfast7 216 275 422 363 512 
			 Housing Advice Centre 468 524 475 400 389 
			 Bangor 312 428 379 401 423 
			 Newtownards 317 425 376 384 395 
			 Castlereagh 227 243 317 312 338 
			 Lisburn 404 538 502 456 533 
			 Lisburn (Dairyfarm) 101 144 125 162 280 
			 Downpatrick 266 331 318 296 286 
			 Banbridge 113 121 137 134 156 
			 Newry 227 266 347 354 418 
			 Armagh 96 111 104 111 121 
			 Brownlow 77 100 84 122 136 
			 Portadown 83 81 82 120 114 
			 Dungannon 152 159 150 200 274 
			 Fermanagh 121 158 231 219 260 
			 Ballymena 336 298 383 369 487 
			 Antrim 274 329 381 256 324 
			 Newtownabbeyl 191 216 187 157 202 
			 Newtownabbey2 173 172 171 212 252 
			 Carrickfergus 171 209 175 179 180 
			 Lame 127 145 142 160 134 
			 Moyle 35 37 33 45 58 
			 Ballymoney 60 64 114 111 155 
			 Coleraine 164 260 276 290 269 
			 Waterloo Place 316 339 282 222 244 
			 Waterside 239 216 197 181 191 
			 Collon Terrace 237 282 244 219 237 
			 Limavady 88 87 92 122 112 
			 Magherafelt 124 111 172 129 91 
			 Strabane 85 69 116 99 85 
			 Omagh 57 56 46 41 44 
			 Cookstown 63 63 52 64 65 
			 N. Ireland 7,374 8,580 8,594 8,470 9,749

Homelessness

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance his Department provides to homeless people in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Department for Social Development and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive provide assistance in various forms in terms of accommodation through housing and hostels, support through Supporting People and benefits through the Social Security Agency.
	In addition to the provision of general housing, the Department specifically provides funding for the building and renovation of hostels for the homeless and, in its five-year social housing development plan, has made provision to grant aid registered housing associations to build new or upgrade 20 hostels. Of these, seven are under construction or are planned to start this year.
	The Northern Ireland Housing Executive provides funding in respect of services associated with the use of temporary accommodation, including the payment of housing benefit. It also provides funding to a range of voluntary bodies for special projects to tackle and prevent homelessness; these include the provision of practical support for projects such as outreach services, the Homeless Support Team, housing advice services, dealing with street drinkers, rent guarantee schemes and education programmes.
	Over the last three years, the Department made funds available around Christmas time for non housing items to be provided to homeless agencies.
	The Department, as part of its wide remit for providing assistance to vulnerable groups including the homeless, also makes funding available through the Supporting People programme for housing support services.

Homelessness

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what  (a) meetings and  (b) correspondence he has had with representatives of the Simon Community on his Department's policy on homelessness in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The Department for Social Development is responsible for establishing policy on homelessness in Northern Ireland. The current policies were given a statutory basis in the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 and since then there have been regular and ongoing discussions and exchanges of correspondence about the implementation and delivery of policy initiatives with a range of key stakeholders, including the Simon Community.
	There have not, however, been any meetings or exchanges of correspondence with the Simon Community specifically relating to policy on homelessness.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which information technology projects are being undertaken by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated planned costs are of each; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Throughout the NIO there is requirement for a large number of information technology projects, the majority of these are relatively small and are developed in-house with minimum cost. To compile information to support all projects would be at disproportionate cost therefore the information within the following table relates only to current IT projects which cost in excess of £1 million.
	
		
			   Causeway  PRISM  Access NI 
			 Start date August 2003 March 2002 June 2006 
			 Original planned completion date December 2006 Late 2005 March 2007 
			 Expected completion date December 2009 Late 2007 September 2007 
			 Originally planned costs (£ million) 42.7 5.12 l.84 
			 Estimated planned costs (£ million) (1)Not yet approved 7.77 l.14 
			 (1) The agreed budget for Causeway is £42 million. The business case and financial projections are currently being reviewed to take account of recent developments in the programme.

Knife Amnesty

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria were used to decide the most appropriate locations for the recently announced knife amnesty in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: Police Service of Northern Ireland DCU Commanders consulted with the District Policing Partnerships to identify suitable locations of the knife bins for the current knife amnesty. Risk assessments were carried out on each site to establish suitability. As a result of the consultation process and risk assessments it was agreed that council amenity sites would remain the preferred option. Bins are also located at Extern at the Hammer Centre, Agnes Street, Shankill and at the Harbour Estate.

Knife Crime

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in Northern Ireland with legislation aimed at reducing knife crime.

David Hanson: Along with England and Wales, the Violent Crime Reduction Act ("the Act") made three changes to the law in Northern Ireland with regard to knives. The Act raised the age at which knives can be legally purchased from 16 to 18 years of age; created a new offence of using someone to mind a weapon, which includes specified knives and bladed weapons, with a penalty of up to four years imprisonment; and reduced the threshold for a constable to exercise his power of entry and search of a school and a person on school premises for weapons including knives.
	The Government recently concluded a public consultation exercise including a major conference taking views on a series of proposals to improve further Northern Ireland's laws on knives. The proposals included increasing the penalty for possession of a knife in a public place; extending the list of "offensive weapons"; and increasing penalties for the illegal sale of knives. The consultation also sought views on a knife licensing scheme. I am currently considering the way forward in light of the consultation and the conference.

Knife Crime

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of those convicted of the possession of knives or bladed articles in Northern Ireland received  (a) a fine,  (b) a community order,  (c) a conditional discharge and  (d) a custodial sentence in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: There is no offence relating to the possession of a "knife" specifically. Offences for which statistics are available refer to the possession of "offensive weapon" or
	"article with blade or point",
	within which knives are included. While offensive weapons may not solely be knives further detail relating to type of weapon is not recorded in conviction datasets.
	Tables 1 to 5 provide details on the total convicted of offensive weapon offences by offence type and disposal type for 2000 to 2004, the latter being the most up-to-date available at present.
	It should be noted that data are collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Table 1: Total number convicted of offensive weapon offences by offence type and disposal type 2000 
			   Fine  Supervision in the community  Conditional discharge  Custodial sentence  Other( 1)  Total 
			 Armed with offensive weapon with intent to commit offence 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Possessing offensive weapon in public place 49 19 13 14 22 117 
			 Possessing article with blade or point in public place 3 2 1 0 1 7 
			 Possessing instrument with intent to commit an offence 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Possessing article with blade or point on school premises 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Possessing offensive weapon on school premises 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 52 23 14 14 23 126 
			 Percentage 41.3 18.3 11.1 11.1 18.3 100 
			 (1) Includes suspended custody. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Total number convicted of offensive weapon offences by offence type and disposal type 2001 
			   Fine  Supervision in the community  Conditional discharge  Custodial sentence  Other( 1)  Total 
			 Armed with offensive weapon with intent to commit offence 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Possessing offensive weapon in public place 32 25 21 13 17 108 
			 Possessing article with blade or point in public place 6 0 1 0 2 9 
			 Possessing instrument with intent to commit an offence 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Possessing article with blade or point on school premises 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Possessing offensive weapon on school premises 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 39 25 22 13 19 118 
			 Percentage 33.1 21.2 18.6 11.0 16.1 100 
			 (1) Includes suspended custody. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Total number convicted of offensive weapon offences by offence type and disposal type 2002 
			   Fine  Supervision in the community  Conditional discharge  Custodial sentence  Other( 1)  Total 
			 Armed with offensive weapon with intent to commit offence 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Possessing offensive weapon in public place 51 28 15 22 27 143 
			 Possessing article with blade or point in public place 5 3 3 5 1 17 
			 Possessing instrument with intent to commit an offence 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Possessing article with blade or point on school premises 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Possessing offensive weapon on school premises 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 56 31 18 27 29 161 
			 Percentage 34.8 19.3 11.2 16.8 18.0 100 
			 (1) Includes suspended custody. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Total number convicted of offensive weapon offences by offence type and disposal type 2003 
			   Fine  Supervision in the community  Conditional discharge  Custodial sentence  Other( 1)  Total 
			 Armed with offensive weapon with intent to commit offence 0 0 0 0 2 2 
			 Possessing offensive weapon in public place 43 44 23 24 27 161 
			 Possessing article with blade or point in public place 6 2 3 3 1 15 
			 Possessing instrument with intent to commit an offence 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Possessing article with blade or point on school premises 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Possessing offensive weapon on school premises 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 49 47 26 27 30 179 
			 Percentage 27.4 26.3 14.5 15.1 16.8 100 
			 (1) Includes suspended custody. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 5:Total number convicted of offensive weapon offences by offence type and disposal type 2004 
			   Fine  Supervision in the community  Conditional discharge  Custodial sentence  Other( 1)  Total 
			 Armed with offensive weapon with intent to commit offence 0 0 1 0 1 2 
			 Possessing offensive weapon in public place 50 36 22 31 27 166 
			 Possessing article with blade or point in public place 3 3 0 2 2 10 
			 Possessing instrument with intent to commit an offence 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Possessing article with blade or point on school premises 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Possessing offensive weapon on school premises 0 2 0 0 0 2 
			 Total 53 41 24 33 30 181 
			 Percentage 29.3 22.7 13.3 18.2 16.6 100 
			 (1) Includes suspended custody.

Knife Crime

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of those convicted of the possession of knives or bladed articles in Northern Ireland who were sentenced to custody received sentences between  (a) six and 12 months,  (b) 12 and 18 months and  (c) 18 and 26 months in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: There is no offence relating to the possession of a "knife" specifically. Offences for which statistics are available refer to the possession of "offensive weapon" or
	"article with blade or point",
	within which knives are included. While offensive weapons may not solely be knives, further detail relating to type of weapon is not recorded in conviction datasets.
	"Possessing offensive weapon in public place"
	and
	"possessing article with blade or point in public place"
	were offences for which an offender was given an immediate custodial sentence during the period covered. Tables 1 and 2, therefore, provide details on sentence length for each offence respectively.
	The tables cover the calendar years 2000 to 2004, the latter being the most up-to-date available at present.
	It should be noted that data are collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number and percentage sentenced to immediate custody by sentence length for "possessing offensive weapon in public place" 2000-04( 1) 
			   Less than 6 months  6 to 12 months  More than 12 months to 18 months  More than 18 months to 26 months  More than 26 months  Total 
			  2000   
			 Number 9 3 0 0 0 12 
			 Percentage 75.0 25.0 0 0 0 100 
			
			  2001   
			 Number 10 2 0 0 0 12 
			 Percentage 83.3 16.7 0 0 0 100 
			
			  2002   
			 Number 15 2 0 2 0 19 
			 Percentage 78.9 10.5 0 10.5 0 100 
			
			  2003   
			 Number 19 5 0 0 0 24 
			 Percentage 79.2 20.8 0 0 0 100 
			
			  2004   
			 Number 28 1 0 0 1 30 
			 Percentage 93.3 3.3 0 0 3.3 100 
			 (1) Figures do not include Juvenile Justice Centre Orders which are for a period of six months unless the court specifies a longer period not exceeding two years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number and percentage sentenced to immediate custody by sentence length for "possessing offensive article with blade or point in public place" 2000-04( 1) 
			   Less than 6 months  6 to 12 months  More than 12 months to 18 months  More than 18 months to 26 months  More than 26 months  Total 
			  2000   
			 Number 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Percentage 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			
			  2001   
			 Number 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Percentage 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			  2002   
			 Number 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Percentage 100 0 0 0 0 100 
			
			  2003   
			 Number 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Percentage 100 0 0 0 0 100 
			
			  2004   
			 Number 1 1 0 0 0 2 
			 Percentage 50 50 0 0 0 100 
			 (1) Figures do not include Juvenile Justice Centre Orders which are for a period of six months unless the court specifies a longer period not exceeding two years.

Parking

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many residents' parking schemes are under consideration by the Department for Regional Development in each Northern Ireland council area.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 4 December 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding how many residents parking schemes are under consideration by the Department for Regional Development in each Northern Ireland council area. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
	By way of background, I should explain that the Department took powers in the Road Traffic Regulation (NI) Order 1997 to permit the introduction of residents' parking schemes in Northern Ireland. However, one of the key success factors for residents' parking schemes is effective enforcement. At that time, the Police Service of Northern Ireland was responsible for the enforcement of parking restrictions, but indicated that they could not provide resources to carry out this enforcement. No schemes have therefore been implemented to date.
	You will be aware that, on 30 October 2006 parking offences were decriminalised and Roads Service took over responsibility for the enforcement of parking restrictions. On 17 November 2006 we launched a draft policy consultation on residents' parking, which will end on 9 February 2007.
	While we have received a number of enquiries in relation to residents' parking schemes, none of these will be considered in detail until the consultation has been completed and a policy developed. However, I can advise that following publication of the residents' parking policy, it is intended that the first residents' parking schemes will be implemented towards the end of next year.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many parliamentary written questions his Office has received in each parliamentary Session since 2001; and how many of these questions  (a) were not answered because of disproportionate cost,  (b) were not answered,  (c) received answers referring back to a previous answer (i) asked by the hon. Member and (ii) asked by another hon. Member and  (d) were grouped together for answer;
	(2)  what target his Office has for the maximum acceptable amount of time to answer parliamentary written questions; and what percentage of parliamentary answers met that target in each parliamentary Session since 2001.

Peter Hain: My Department endeavours to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of tabling and named day questions on the date specified.
	Northern Ireland parliamentary questions are recorded by calendar year. This information is as follows.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2002 1,729 
			 2003 2,908 
			 2004 4,137 
			 2005 4,476 
			 2006 to December 4,830 
		
	
	The breakdown of the figures requested by the hon. Gentleman is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. My officials are currently developing an electronic system to enable the provision of statistical data on parliamentary questions and answers. It is intended that this system will be in operation from January 2007.

Planning Policy

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the objectives are of the proposed planning policy for the countryside set out under Draft Planning Policy Statement 14.

David Cairns: The objectives of draft Planning Policy Statement 14 are set out on page 19 of the published document.

Planning Policy

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of Regional Development informed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of its decision to proceed with the Draft Planning Policy Statement 14.

David Cairns: During the development of draft PPS 14, DRD held discussions and corresponded with other Departments, including the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. DARD was fully engaged during the policy development process and these discussions assisted in the preparation of the draft policy as published in March 2006.

Poverty

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to tackle poverty in Northern Ireland through the community planning process; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: Under forthcoming legislation, local councils will be required to initiate, facilitate and maintain a Community Planning process, leading to the production of a Community plan. In turn, all other public bodies will be required to participate in, and help deliver, Community Planning.
	The process of community planning leading to the production of a Community Plan has the potential to identify issues such as poverty, social inclusion and disadvantaged communities as priorities within the new council areas leading to the development of actions aimed at addressing them in a focused, joined-up and coordinated way. Any such actions should be taken forward in line with the aims and objects of Government's Anti-Poverty and Social Inclusion Strategy.

Railway Stations

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on improving waiting facilities for rail passengers at each station between Ballymena and Londonderry in the last 12 months.

David Cairns: Translink advise that there has been no expenditure on waiting facilities at rail stations between Ballymena and Londonderry in the last 12 months.

Rating System

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the oral answer of 22 November 2006,  Official Report, column 535, on the rating system, how much the exemplar teacher would pay under the new system; and what the evidential basis is for the estimate.

David Hanson: In the absence of any reliefs, a property with a capital value of £300,000 would face a rate bill of approximately £1,800. However, without any further details in terms of the example that the hon. Gentleman quoted, it is not possible to determine this ratepayer's eligibility for assistance through the rate relief scheme or through any of the alternative reliefs available, including the transitional relief scheme

Social Security Benefits: Pensioners

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to ensure that senior citizens in Northern Ireland are informed of benefits which they are entitled to claim.

David Hanson: The Social Security Agency (SSA) promotes the full range of benefits for pensioners through Pension tele-centres in Belfast and Londonderry, the internet, promotional leaflets, and regional benefit uptake events as well as through 35 Jobs and Benefit/Social Security Offices.
	 Benefit Uptake
	In recognition of the fact that some vulnerable groups, including pensioners, may require additional support, the SSA in 2005 established benefit uptake as one of its five key priorities.
	Since then, it has delivered special exercises targeted at approximately 20,000 pensioners. These exercises have been delivered with the independent advice sector and all participants have been offered a free comprehensive benefit check. In pilot exercises last year successful participants obtained an average weekly increase of £30 with an additional yearly benefit spend of £575,000. This year's activities are still being evaluated.
	Additionally, the SSA also delivered a housing benefit up-take initiative which targeted 23,765 pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit who appeared to have an entitlement to housing benefit but who were not claiming the benefit. To date, over 6,000 applications have been issued, with approximately 4,000 (65 per cent.) having been returned and passed to either the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) or Rates Collection Agency (RCA) for assessment.
	Plans are already being progressed for the delivery of next year's benefit uptake activities.

Taxis

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision has been made in Coleraine by the Department for Regional Development for waiting areas to be used by taxis.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 4 December 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what provision has been made in Coleraine by the Department for Regional Development for waiting areas to be used by taxis. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
	Roads Service has provided 12 waiting bays for use by taxis in Coleraine.
	You may also be interested to know that following a recent meeting with a representative of the Taxi Association, local Roads Service officials have undertaken to look at the possibility of facilitating further taxi ranks in Coleraine.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has held with the Ascension Island council on budgetary aid from his Department in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID does not have a programme of general assistance to Ascension Island. No such discussions have therefore taken place.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what visits were made to Ascension Island by officials in his Department since 2004; and what the purpose was of each visit.

Gareth Thomas: DFID's environment adviser for the Overseas Territories visited Ascension Island in October 2004, June 2005 and November 2006 to monitor projects funded under the Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP) and to provide other conservation advice.
	Other than OTEP, for which all Overseas Territories are eligible, DFID does not have a programme of assistance to Ascension Island. However, officials responsible for managing DFID's programme in St. Helena regularly pass through Ascension Island in transit to or from St. Helena.

Burma: Three Diseases Fund

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the Three Diseases Fund for Burma will start operating.

Gareth Thomas: During the period from December 2006 until March 2007, the Three Diseases Fund will provide limited transitional support to allow the uninterrupted continuation of treatment provided by well-performing projects which were formerly receiving funding from the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
	Full Three Diseases Fund operation will start in 2007. We anticipate that the Three Diseases Fund manager will invite expressions of interest for project funding in December 2006, and make the first disbursements in April 2007.

Burma: Three Diseases Fund

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which  (a) governmental and  (b) non-governmental organisations in Burma are expected to receive funding from the Three Diseases Fund.

Gareth Thomas: It is likely that organisations implementing activities with support from the Three Diseases Fund will include specialised UN agencies, international non-governmental organisations, local non-governmental organisations, the private sector and local level public health teams. However, no decisions have yet been made on which specific organisations will receive funding from the Three Diseases Fund.
	All activities will be consistent with the European Union Common Position on Burma/Myanmar and with the International Humanitarian Principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality. All implementing partners' activities will be reviewed against these principles and against criteria established by the fund board which are likely to include demonstrated technical competence, capacity, speed of delivery, coherence with ongoing activities, and ability to access vulnerable groups.
	Consistent with the European Union Common Position, no funds will go to the Central Ministry of Health Budget, but the Three Diseases Fund may support the implementation of some crucial township-level public health work, for example DOTS (directly observed treatment, short course) for people suffering from TB, and HIV test kits for blood safety. The funding for such township-level interventions would be channelled through UN agencies.

Burma: Three Diseases Fund

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps have been taken to allow the National League for Democracy to receive funding for its health programmes from the Three Diseases Fund in Burma.

Gareth Thomas: We have consulted a range of civil society and political groups, including the National League for Democracy (NLD), on the design of the Three Diseases Fund. The NLD has expressed its support for the Three Diseases Fund, and stressed the importance of the Fund being transparent and efficient for it to be successful. The NLD recognises that, consistent with the humanitarian principles, the Fund will not provide support through the health or social programmes of any political organisations, including those which the NLD organises.

Burma: Three Diseases Fund

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which  (a) Governments and  (b) international organisations have confirmed contributions to the Three Diseases Fund for Burma; and how much each has committed.

Gareth Thomas: The total contribution indicated by donors for the Three Diseases Fund is US$100 million. So far four Governments have formally confirmed their support as follows:
	UK—GBP 20,000,000 (over five years)
	Australia—AUS $15,000,000 (over five years)
	The Netherlands—Euros 3,000,000 (over three years)
	Norway—NOK 5,000,000 (for the first year)
	Sweden and the European Commission (EC) have also agreed to support the fund, but neither has yet finalised its level of commitment.

Burma: Three Diseases Fund

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Three Diseases Fund for Burma is able to operate throughout areas of the country under control of the military dictatorship.

Gareth Thomas: The Three Diseases Fund is committed to supporting work on the three diseases on the basis of need, irrespective of ethnic origin, social status, gender, nationality, political opinions, race or religion. The fund will target those most at risk from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, particularly those with limited or no access to public health services.
	The Three Diseases Fund will continue its dialogue with the Burmese authorities about improving access for the UN and international non-governmental organisations to all areas of the country. It will also seek to strengthen dialogues with community-based organisations, local non-governmental organisations and ceasefire groups about how they can contribute to the fund's efforts to deliver services in areas which are difficult to reach.

Burma: Three Diseases Fund

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Three Diseases Fund for Burma will provide services to Burmese refugees in neighbouring countries.

Gareth Thomas: Because of the huge scale of the challenge working inside Burma, and the availability of other funding for support to refugees in neighbouring countries, it is likely that the Three Diseases Fund will focus on providing support only to people living inside Burma.

Burma: Three Diseases Fund

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the ruling regime in Burma has given his Department assurances that the Union Solidarity Development Association will not be involved in any projects funded by the Three Diseases Fund for Burma.

Gareth Thomas: The Burmese authorities will not decide which organisations implement Three Diseases funded support. All funding decisions will be made by the Fund Board, which includes representatives from the donor consortium and independent international experts. Furthermore, the donor consortium has agreed with the Burmese authorities that implementation of the Three Diseases Fund will be consistent with the international humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality. These principles rule out any implementation by organisations with a political nature such as the Union Solidarity Development Association.

Burma: Red Cross

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision by the Government of Burma to close the offices of the Red Cross within Burma.

Gareth Thomas: The closure of the field offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Burma means that ICRC will be unable to carry out its vital assistance and protection work with civilians affected by conflict between the Burmese Army and the ethnic armed groups. We are extremely concerned that this will increase the vulnerability of these civilians. We are also very concerned that since December 2005, ICRC has had to halt its programme of prison visits because it has been unable to carry them out according to its standard operating procedures. We believe that the ICRC's transparent, neutral and principled approach to aid delivery is the right one: respect for the humanitarian principles by donors, implementers and the authorities is crucial for the effective delivery of aid. The Burmese authorities' treatment of ICRC is a cause for profound concern for all agencies supporting humanitarian assistance in Burma.

Burma: Red Cross

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had about the proposed closure of the offices of the Red Cross in Burma.

Gareth Thomas: I have made a public statement condemning the closure of the field offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Burma, pointing out that it is the poorest who will suffer, calling on the Burmese authorities to reconsider their decision, and emphasising the importance of donors, non-governmental organisations and the Burmese authorities in respecting the international humanitarian principles for the delivery of assistance. The British embassy in Rangoon has sent my statement to the Ministers of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Health, Labour, and National Economic Planning and Development. British Officials will continue to take all opportunities to raise with the Burmese authorities the importance of ICRC's work and to call for the reopening of its offices, and will remain in close contact with ICRC on the developing situation.

Departmental Contracts

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department paid to DHL in each financial year between 1997-98 and 2005-06.

Hilary Benn: The amount paid to DHL in each of the financial years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   DHL 
			  Financial year  International  Logistics 
			 1997-98 12,202 — 
			 1998-99 18,128 — 
			 1999-2000 19,111 — 
			 2000-01 13,187 — 
			 2001-02 20,413 — 
			 2002-03 16,223 — 
			 2003-04 401 — 
			 2004-05 23,941 — 
			 2005-06 18,044 7,819 
			 2006-07 3,487 17,455

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff were employed on a consultancy basis in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies in each of the last five years for which information is available; and what the (i) average and (ii) longest period was for which a consultant was employed in each year.

Gareth Thomas: Personnel engaged on a consultancy basis are not employees of DFID, and their details are not recorded on our central staff database. Consultants are used to fill short term staffing gaps or to provide specialist skills that are not immediately available in house. There is no central record of the number of people employed on this basis, and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether people employed  (a) through employment agencies and  (b) on a consultancy basis are included in the calculations for the full-time equivalent staff mentioned in his Department's annual report.

Gareth Thomas: Neither agency staff, nor those engaged on consultancy terms, are included in the full time equivalent staffing figures that appear in the Annual Report published by the Department for International Development (DFID). This approach is fully consistent with the Cabinet Office guidelines on the categories of staff that should be reported in departmental headcount figures.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many value for money exercises on the use of  (a) management consultants and  (b) professional advisers were conducted by his Department in each of the last five years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has not specifically undertaken formal value for money exercises regarding the use of management consultants and professional advisers. However, all DFID contracts are subject to rigorous procurement processes and procedures that are designed to ensure that value for money is obtained.
	All contracts above the EU threshold are tendered through international competition using clear evaluation criteria. DFID contracts include explicit terms of reference that focus on the need to achieve value for money, and all contracts are subject to rigorous monitoring, reporting and review. Payments to consultants are only made once confirmation has been received that they have performed satisfactorily.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's annual budget is for employing workers on a consultancy basis; and how much of this budget was used in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Gareth Thomas: Personnel engaged on a consultancy basis are not employees of DFID. Consultants are used to fill short term staffing gaps or to provide specialist skills that are not immediately available in house. We do not maintain a central budget for employing temporary staff on consultancy terms. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what percentage of staff employed in his Department were registered disabled in each year since 2001.

Gareth Thomas: The following table details the number and proportion of staff employed by DFID who have declared a disability in each year since 2001.
	
		
			  As at April:  Staff with a declared disability  Percentage of UK-based staff with declared disability 
			 2001 23 1.8 
			 2002 24 1.5 
			 2003 23 1.4 
			 2004 36 2.0 
			 2005 42 2.2 
			 2006 45 2.4 
			  Note: We do not collect disability data for our locally engaged, staff appointed in country, and they are not reflected in the statistics above. 
		
	
	Data on the disabled status of civil servants, for the years requested, are available on the civil service website. The latest available data are as at April 2005 and these, together with previous years' data, can be found at the following website addresses:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/publications/xls/report_2005/table_p.xls
	for data as at April 2005,
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/publications/xls/disability_apr04_4nov04.xls
	for data as at April 2004, and
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/archive/index.asp
	for previous reporting periods.
	Declaration of a disability is voluntary.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to carry out gender impact assessments of his Department's major policy developments and new legislation.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has already started to develop a generic equalities impact assessment approach, which includes gender, in its policy development. This approach is currently being used to assess the Department's human resources policies. Guidance on carrying out impact assessments will be available by the end of 2006 and included in the 'Blue Book', which is DFID's guidance on mandatory procedures.
	The Department will meet its legal requirements by April 2007 in line with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities)(Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No.2930); and shall refer to the Equal Opportunities Commission's Code of Practice on the Gender Equality Duty and specific guidance when it is made available.

Mount Nyamulagira

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of the eruption of Mount Nyamulagira in Congo on the inhabitants of  (a) Goma and  (b) North Kivu province; what aid the UK is making available through (i) unilateral and (ii) multilateral (A) organisations and (B) programmes to those areas; and what assessment he has made of the effect of fighting in the area on the delivery of aid.

Hilary Benn: The eruption of Mount Nyamulagira in North Kivu, DRC has been anticipated for some time. Fortunately for the population of this troubled region, this volcano is situated within the Virunga National Park, which is largely uninhabited. Lava flows are being monitored by the Goma Volcano Observatory, and while it is still possible that lava may reach the Sake-Goma road, the speed of the flows has reduced considerably. To date the impact on inhabitants of the area has been minimal, but the situation will continue to be assessed.
	The volcano Nyiragongo, however, is only 18 km from Goma town and is also very active. DFID is providing support to the Goma Volcano Observatory to increase its technical capacity to monitor the status of these two volcanoes and to establish a risk management unit to carry out contingency planning and emergency response preparation. The Observatory is funded through the UN and works closely with local authorities in North Kivu and Rwanda, other UN agencies and NGOs. If it becomes necessary to evacuate people from the area, support will be provided through the rapid response mechanism (RRM)—a contingency fund established in DRC to ensure emergency assistance is provided as quickly as possible, supported by the UK and other partners.
	The recent fighting in Sake (25 km west of Goma) and surrounding areas between combatants loyal to renegade army commander General Nkunda and MONUC/FARDC forces has caused considerable disruption in the area, with approximately 15,000 people displaced. The area is now quiet again, but people are delaying their return home, fearing looting. A joint UN/NGO assessment mission has reviewed the situation and made a first distribution of food and other essential items to those in need, using RRM resources. The humanitarian agencies on the ground will continue to monitor and respond to the needs of the population until they can safely return home.

Peru

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the Peruvian Government's new legislation restricting non-governmental organisation operations in Peru.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has been following closely the debate around this legislation. We agree with the assessment and statement by the European Union which reiterates member states' commitment to supporting transparency, accountability and efficiency in aid programmes in Peru. It also requests that specific articles of the Bill be clarified to ensure that they are not used to limit constitutional rights, or limit the work of non-governmental organisations in the area of human rights and the environment.
	The Bill is currently being reviewed at the request of President Garcia and a number of amendments have been proposed. DFID will continue to monitor this process and work with the European Union to ensure that the legislation promotes transparency and co-ordination and does not adversely affect the work of non-governmental organisations in Peru.

Pitcairn Islands

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much budgetary aid has been given to the Pitcairn Islands in each of the last five years; and for what reasons the aid was provided.

Gareth Thomas: DFID funding to Pitcairn for the last five years is:
	
		
			   Budgetary aid  Development aid  Total (£) 
			 2005-06 496,000 2,086,000 2,582,000 
			 2004-05 150,000 1,164,000 1,314,000 
			 2003-04 — 64,000 64,000 
			 2002-03 — 53,000 53,000 
			 2001-02 — 26,000 26,000 
		
	
	Budgetary aid has been provided since December 2004 when Pitcairn's financial reserves were exhausted. Budgetary aid helps meet Pitcairn's essential recurrent expenditure needs including health and education services. DFID also provides development assistance to help promote Pitcairn's self sufficiency and provide an environment which encourages economic and social development.

Public Appointments

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which public appointments have been made by his Department to former Ministers who have served in the Government since May 1997.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) has made no public appointments to former Ministers who have served in the Government since May 1997.

Renewable Energy

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much energy consumed by his Department is acquired from renewable sources.

Gareth Thomas: The proportion of electricity consumed by DFID in the UK from renewable sources is currently 95 per cent.. This will rise to 100 per cent. from 25 December 2006, when we close the only one of our buildings which is not so supplied.

Uganda

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the UK is providing to people in Uganda affected by the activities of the Lord's Resistance Army.

Hilary Benn: The UK is one of the largest providers of humanitarian aid to people in the areas of Uganda affected by the Lord's Resistance Army. In 2005-06 we provided £20 million for humanitarian assistance. In 2006-07 we have already spent just over £9 million on humanitarian assistance and plan to disburse at least a further £9 million before the end of March. Funding has been channelled through the UN agencies, the Red Cross and Save the Children and has been used to provide emergency food aid, health care, water and sanitation, education and programmes to protect vulnerable children.
	In addition to our humanitarian aid we have also supported efforts to bring the conflict to an end through the funding of activities to promote peace and reconciliation. In 2005-06 we provided just under £1 million of conflict prevention funding and this financial year we plan to spend approximately £1.3 million, including support we are providing to the current peace talks in Juba.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the impact of withdrawing entitlement to Access to Work funding for  (a) his Department's employees on the numbers of disabled staff working in his Department and  (b) other central Government Department employees on the number of disabled staff within these departments.

Anne McGuire: My officials will monitor the impact of the removal of Access to Work funding from employees working in central Government Departments. They will do this through a combination of analysis of administrative data from a range of sources, including DWP Access to Work Business Centres; Cabinet Office (data on employment and recruitment of disabled people across departments); and central Government Departments themselves, and qualitative research with disabled employees and other stakeholders, about their experiences.
	The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) assesses the effectiveness of current policies and services for disabled people and reports annually on progress in delivering the Government's strategy to achieve equality for disabled people by 2025. As part of this, the ODI will work with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider the impact of the Access to Work changes.

Benefit Payments

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what options for payment of benefit are offered to new claimants of  (a) state pension,  (b) pension credit,  (c) disability living allowance,  (d) attendance allowance and  (e) carer's allowance; and if he will place in the Library copies of the relevant standard letters and supporting leaflets.

James Plaskitt: As part of the commitment to modernise welfare delivery and increase financial inclusion, direct payment into an account became the normal method of payment for benefits and pensions from April 2003.
	Factual information on claimants account options are contained in claim packs. It is for claimants themselves to decide which type of account best suits their needs and circumstances. Payment by cheque is used for those claimants who we are unable to pay by direct payment.
	A copy of each of the main claim forms and any supporting leaflets will be placed in the Library shortly.

Benefit: Earnings Ratio

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the ratio of incapacity benefit to median earnings in the UK was in each year from 1975-76 to 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available.

Call Centres: Work-related Injuries

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of  (a) hearing-related sickness and injury and  (b) acoustic shock amongst employees in UK call centres have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive in accordance with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations since January 1999; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The information requested cannot be reliably identified from routine RIDDOR classifications, and the Standard Industrial Classification for call centres was only introduced in 2001. However, a text search of RIDDOR reports for all businesses for the years 2001-02 to 2005-06 (provisional) finds a total of 11 injuries where the term "acoustic shock" is mentioned in the report and a further 22 reports involving noise associated with a telephone. All these injuries resulted in the affected person being off work for four or more consecutive days.
	
		
			  Reported incidents involving noise associated with telephones in all businesses 
			  1 April to 31 March  Incidents using text searches excluding 'acoustic shock'  Text searches where 'acoustic shock' is mentioned 
			 2001-02 8 1 
			 2002-03 (1)5 (1)4 
			 2003-04 7 1 
			 2004-05 2 3 
			 2005-06 (provisional) — 2 
			 (1) One incident was identified where the occupation of the affected person was 'call centre agent/operator'.  Notes: 1. Text searches used variations of 'phone', 'noise', 'call centre' and 'acoustic shock' in the free-text accident description field. Data before April 2001 are not available in sufficient detail to identify relevant incidents. 2. RIDDOR 1995 applies to Great Britain only; separate reporting arrangements exist for Northern Ireland. 
		
	
	Under RIDDOR employers should report fatalities, certain types of major injuries, dangerous occurrences and work-related injuries, which result in admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours or the affected person being unable to carry out their normal work for more than three consecutive days. The list of RIDDOR prescribed diseases does not cover hearing loss due to noise exposure or acoustic shock. RIDDOR data would only cover such conditions if they resulted in admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours or the affected person being unable to carry out their normal work for more than three consecutive days.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to encourage people to fit carbon monoxide detectors in their homes; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: holding answer on 27 November 2006
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) strongly recommends the use of approved, audible carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in all homes that use gas appliances. Such detectors should not be regarded as a substitute for competent maintenance and annual safety checks of gas equipment by a CORGI-registered installer.
	This recommendation was most recently publicised by the Chief Executive of HSE on 24 October 2006.

Children in Poverty

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in Tamworth constituency were living in relative low income households in  (a) the first half of 2006-07 and  (b) 1997.

Jim Murphy: The information is not available below the level of Government office region.

Disabled People: Access to Work

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the access to work scheme in increasing the numbers of disabled people in employment.

Anne McGuire: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for South-West Surrey (Mr. Hunt) on 8 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1612W.

Health and Safety

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many prosecutions for breach of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations the Health and Safety Executive successfully undertook in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what plans the Health and Safety Executive has to tackle non-compliance with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.

Anne McGuire: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully undertaken the following number of prosecutions for breach of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 in each of the last five years:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001-02 34 
			 2002-03 10 
			 2003-04 20 
			 2004-05 7 
			 2005-06 (provisional) 9 
			 Total 80 
		
	
	The Health and Safety Commission considered the outcome of the fundamental review of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 in July 2006 and directed HSE to make improvements to streamline and simplify the reporting process and its communication, particularly from the point of view of small and medium sized businesses. This should encourage compliance.
	The HSE is now implementing arrangements to make clear to business that reporting can be simple, drawing attention to the user-friendly telephone reporting facility. New website and other publicity material will be available early next year.

Housing

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information about local reference rents has been made available by The Rent Service since November 2003.

James Plaskitt: The Valuation Report published by The Rent Service in 2005 provides information on local reference rents, by area, for the years 2001 to 2005. The 2005-06 data are due to be published later this year. A copy of the 2005 Report is in the Library.

Housing

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many localities were used by TRS to determine local reference rents in each month since 1999.

James Plaskitt: The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Housing

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what housing benefit expenditure was on  (a) tenants in social housing,  (b) tenants in private rented accommodation and  (c) households in temporary accommodation in (i) England and (ii) each London local authority in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: The information has been placed in the Library.

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of incapacity benefit have undertaken permitted work in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  Number of IB/SDA claimants who have undertaken permitted work 
			  Quarter ending  Number 
			 November 2002 9,700 
			 May 2003 28,600 
			 May 2004 35,500 
			 May 2005 40,700 
			 May 2006 45,500 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been produced using the 5 per cent. data and have been rated up proportionally using the Great Britain WPLS 100 per cent. IB/SDA totals. 2. Information on permitted work has only been available since the November 2002 quarter.  Source: DWP Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 25 years or under claimed incapacity benefit in each year for which figures are available since 2000.

Anne McGuire: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  Number of people aged 25 years or under who have claimed incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance 
			  Year to end of May  Number of claimants aged under 25 years (thousand) 
			 2000 164.50 
			 2001 169.25 
			 2002 169.86 
			 2003 173.84 
			 2004 175.77 
			 2005 173.18 
			  2006 166.74 
			  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Incapacity Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects on the number of people receiving incapacity-related benefits of the ageing of the UK population; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: No such assessment has been made.

Incapacity Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the average duration of an incapacity benefit claim was in each month since January 2005;
	(2)  what the average duration is of receipt of incapacity benefit; and what this figure was in each year since 1980-81.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available.

Income-related benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the latest statistics are for the take-up of income-related benefits; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The latest estimates of the take-up of the main income-related benefits: income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income-based) can be found in the DWP report entitled "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2004/2005". Copies of the publication are available in the Library.

Job Numbers: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in City of York constituency have found work through each of the Government's new deal programmes since their introduction.

Jim Murphy: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  New deal in the City of York constituency 
			  Programme  People into work 
			 New deal for young people 1,030 
			 New deal 25 plus 470 
			 New deal for lone parents 1,000 
			 New deal 50 plus 240 
			 New deal for partners — 
			 Total 2,740 
			  Notes: 1. Information is not available at constituency level for new deal for disabled people. 2. A dash in the table represents a nil or negligible number. 3. Data are to May 2006. 4. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 5. Start dates for each programme are: new deal for young people: January1998; new deal 25 plus: July 1998; new deal for lone parents: October 1998; new deal 50 plus: April 2000; new deal for partners: April 2001; new deal for disabled people: July 2001.  Source:  Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate

Jobcentre Plus

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Blandford,  (b) Bridport,  (c) Christchurch,  (d) Dorchester,  (e) Wareham and  (f) Wimborne visited Jobcentre Plus offices in the last three months for which figures are available.

Jim Murphy: The information requested is not available.

Jobcentre Plus

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated cost of the new Jobcentre Plus office in Bournemouth is; what its gross area is; how many people will be employed there; and what its estimated annual running costs are.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Gentleman with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what the estimated cost of the new Jobcentre Plus office in Bournemouth is; what its gross area is; how many people will be employed there; and what its estimated annual running costs are. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Our partners, Land Services Trillium, are constructing the new building for Jobcentre Plus. They will bear the cost, including charges for facilities, of approximately £1 million a year. Jobcentre Plus will be responsible for fitting the building to Jobcentre Plus standards at a cost of approximately £2.7 million.
	The office will be on three floors, covering 2,888 square metres. The building, on present staffing levels, will house 181 staff, but this is subject to change due to staff movement and business need.
	The new building will house staff from 2 existing offices in Old Christchurch Road and Cotlands Road Bournemouth, and centralise all Jobcentre Plus functions on one site. The new office is well served by public transport and close to the local railway station.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which  (a) full and  (b) part-time Jobcentre Plus offices have been closed in each of the last four years.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Gentleman with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking which (a) full time and (b) part time Jobcentre Plus offices have been closed in each of the last four years. This is something, which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	I enclose a list of the offices that were closed and have indicated in each case whether the office was open full-time or part-time prior to closure. I have placed a copy in the House of Commons Library.
	Firstly, as part of the rollout of the new Jobcentre Plus network we have rationalised our estate. We inherited around 1500 offices from the former Employment Service and Benefits Agency, several of which were unsuitable for the new processes, or were in the wrong place or in a poor state of repair. Often, the former agencies had offices situated at either end of the High Street and, in some instances, neither was suitable for conversion to Jobcentre Plus so we closed one or both of them. In each District we undertook detailed service delivery planning exercises in consultation with local stakeholders, identifying the sites which we would convert to the new standard and those, which needed to close. We also explained how, particularly in more rural locations, we would offer outreach services ("flexible service delivery").
	Secondly, as a result of our programme to centralise benefit processing we have identified sites which will no longer be viable once processing work has been taken away from them.
	Thirdly, we have been looking very closely at the need for public-facing sites in a number of locations. The increased availability of new channels means that Jobcentre Plus customers can access services directly by telephone or Internet rather than needing to call into one of our offices. Reducing expenditure on our office network is part of our wider strategy for focusing resources more effectively on frontline advisory services to help our customers move into work.
	The list of closures should also be set against the 837 offices that we have rolled out to date under our restructuring programme, plus over 150 locations where we have installed flexible service delivery arrangements.
	I would emphasise that the closure of any of our offices involves consultation with local stakeholders, including MPs, and putting in place suitable alternative arrangements for delivering services to our customers.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobseeker's Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effect on expenditure of means-testing income-based jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: We have made no such estimate.

National Insurance Numbers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the July 2006 changes which introduced a right to work pre-condition before national insurance numbers could be allocated.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer I gave on 8 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1633W, to the hon. Member for Peterborough, (Mr. Jackson).

Office for Disability Issues

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Office for Disability Issues is responsible for monitoring the effect of the removal of access to work funding from employees working in central Government Departments; and how he will assess the effect of the change.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for the development of access to work and it will monitor the impact of the removal of access to work funding from employees working in central Government Departments. It will do this through a combination of analysis of administrative data from a range of sources, including DWP access to work business centres; Cabinet Office (data on employment and recruitment of disabled people across departments); and central Government Departments themselves, and qualitative research with disabled employees and other stakeholders, about their experiences.
	The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) assesses the effectiveness of current policies and services for disabled people and reports annually on progress in delivering the Government's strategy to achieve equality for disabled people by 2025. As part of this, the ODI will work with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider the impact of the access to work changes.

Pensions

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been affected by collapsed company pension schemes in the UK in the last five years.

James Purnell: The information requested is not available.

Post Office Card Account

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost to his Department was of Post Office card account transactions in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer I gave on 8 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1643W, to my hon. Friend for Eltham (Clive Efford).

Social Security Advisory Committee

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Social Security Advisory Committee last looked at sufficiency of benefit levels as they apply to claimants  (a) overall and  (b) living in London; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Sir Richard Tilt, the Chairman of the Social Security Advisory Committee, will write to my hon. Friend.

Welfare Reform Bill

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how his Department plans to ensure that the Welfare Reform Bill extends support for those carers who have suffered from ill health but wish to return to work.

Anne McGuire: Carers already have access to a wide range of support to help them back to work depending on whether they are, for example a lone parent or a disabled person, and the type of working age benefit they receive, such as income support or incapacity benefit.
	In taking advantage of this support, carers may be able to attend a work-focused interview where they can get advice from a personal adviser on the programmes available to help them search for work or on training to update their skills. When making the transition into work, the personal adviser will also give advice on the financial assistance available to them.
	We have also listened to the considerable public support for carers in drawing up proposals in the Health and Social Care White Paper when a commitment was made to improve respite care. In addition, the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004, which came into effect on 1 April 2005, promotes co-operation between authorities and requires councils to inform carers of their right to an assessment which takes into account their outside interests including work, or the desire to work.
	Flexible working practices are good for business, employees and their families. In April 2003, we introduced a new right for parents of children up to the age of six and disabled children up to the age of 18 to request flexible working and put a duty on the employer to consider their request seriously. From April 2007, this right will be extended through the Work and Families Act to carers of adults. This will support carers who wish to remain in or return to work and will particularly help those aged 45 to 64, around one quarter of whom are carers.

Widows' Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) smallest,  (b) largest and  (c) average settlements made by the Government in lieu of backdating widows' benefits are.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer I gave on 8 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 1618-19W, to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Zimbabwe

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

Ian McCartney: The human rights situation in Zimbabwe remains appalling. September's brutal crackdown on the leadership of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) underlines this. I had the opportunity to meet with Lovemore Matombo and Wellington Chibebe, leaders of the ZCTU, and hear first hand about their appalling treatment by the authorities. Our response could not have been clearer. Sadly, last week, the Government of Zimbabwe chose to continue their brutality by beating peaceful women and children demonstrators. We will continue to pressure the Government of Zimbabwe to restore respect for democratic values, human rights and the rule of law.

Middle East

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the relationship between Palestine and Israel.

Kim Howells: We welcome the ceasefire in Gaza between the Palestinians and Israel and hope it paves the way for dialogue and a return to negotiations. We also welcome President Abbas' and Prime Minister Olmert's commitment to meet without pre-conditions.
	We must make progress towards a comprehensive peace and two-state solution, and an end to the cycle of violence. Both President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert remain committed to this process.

Overseas Diplomatic Posts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to change the number of UK diplomatic posts overseas as part of the comprehensive spending review process.

Margaret Beckett: We keep the network of diplomatic posts overseas under constant review. Resources are redeployed in order to best align them to meeting the pressures of globalisation, and challenges such as climate change, terrorism and migration. The comprehensive spending review is still on-going.

Extradition Treaties

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether extradition treaties entered into by member states of the European Union are required to conform with the principle that member states' citizens should be treated equally whatever their nationality.

Geoff Hoon: Extradition treaties that member states have with third countries depend on the policies and constitutional requirements of each respective state. It is not for the FCO to comment on the legality of other countries' treaties.

Iraq

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely consequences of a British withdrawal from Iraq on citizens who have helped build democratic institutions in that country.

Kim Howells: The Iraqi Government will be responsible for protecting all of Iraq's citizens after the withdrawal of multi-national forces. We remain committed to our strategy of handing over responsibility for security to the Iraqis as and when their capability allows. The Iraqi Government have made it clear that it is necessary for us to stay until the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are capable of taking the lead on security responsibility.

Iraq

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures have been taken to prevent the movement of weapons across the Iranian border into Iraq.

Des Browne: I have been asked to reply.
	We have taken diplomatic and military steps to limit the movement of weapons across the border with Iran into Iraq. I will not divulge the details of any military steps for reasons of operational effectiveness and force protection.
	We have made it clear to the Iranian Government that support to those groups who undermine the will of the Iraqi Government and who attack the Iraqi security forces is unacceptable. We continue to press Iran to break links with militias and armed groups and to support the Iraqi Government by strengthening border controls and co-operating on counter-terrorism.

Nuclear Weapons

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Ministry of Defence on the foreign policy consequences of renewing the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Margaret Beckett: My officials and I have had numerous discussions with the Ministry of Defence on all aspects of the UK's future nuclear deterrent. The product of these discussions is the joint White Paper released yesterday from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence.

Turkey

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her Turkish counterparts on Turkey's application for full membership of the EU.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and I have had regular and frequent recent discussions with our Turkish counterparts on Turkey's EU accession process. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I met with the Turkish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister at the NATO summit in Riga on 29 November. We remain firmly committed to Turkey's accession to the EU.

Afghanistan

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people in the Afghan Government and Parliament are known by her Department to have had previous connections with or involvement in the drugs trade.

Kim Howells: We know there are a number of individuals in both the Government and Parliament with links to the drugs trade. President Karzai is committed to acting against anybody with links to the trade including those in official positions. The UK is helping the Afghan Government to improve its capacity to bring those involved to justice.

Guantanamo Bay

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens are detained at Guantanamo Bay; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: No British nationals are currently being held at Guantanamo Bay.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with parties involved in hostilities in Sri Lanka.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary, our High Commissioner in Colombo and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials have met with President Rajapakse of Sri Lanka.
	In line with EU policy, the FCO has contact with representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in pursuit of the peace process, which may facilitate a return to negotiations and an end to violence.
	We continue to call on both sides to observe their ceasefire commitments.

Latin America

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has for the development of UK relations with Latin America.

Geoff Hoon: The UK has important interests in Latin America. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, working closely with other Government Departments, is actively engaged, politically and through our supporting programmes, in delivering against the full range of the Government's international priorities in the region. We intend to maintain and develop this active and focused engagement.

Russia

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the human rights situation in Russia.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2006 Annual Report on Human Rights, released on 12 October 2006, sets out a range of our concerns about human rights, democracy and rule of law in Russia. It confirms we are under no illusions about the situation there. We continue to engage with Russia on human rights issues, critically as necessary.

Horn of Africa

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the political situation in the Horn of Africa.

Ian McCartney: We are very concerned about the increasing tension in the Horn of Africa. The Union of Islamic Courts is threatening the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia. Tension continues between Ethiopia and Eritrea over their disputed border. Further conflict would have severe humanitarian consequences and could destabilise the entire region. We are working with international partners and regional Governments to achieve peaceful solutions to these disputes.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to promote good relations between her Department's representatives on Ascension Island and the island council.

Geoff Hoon: Good relations are promoted between the Administrator on Ascension Island and the Island Council through regular formal and informal meetings.
	This relationship is further enhanced by meetings with officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and councillors when they visit the UK, and by visits by FCO officials to Ascension Island.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what involvement Ascension Island will have in the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.

Geoff Hoon: Planning is under way to hold commemorative events for the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict on Ascension Island. A final programme has yet to be agreed.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to reinstate Ascension Island's official representation to the UK.

Geoff Hoon: There has never been an official representation for Ascension Island in the UK and we are unaware of any plans to establish one.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to encourage participation in democracy on Ascension Island.

Geoff Hoon: Ascension Island council elections are held every three years and everyone over the age of 18 has the right, and is encouraged, to vote. The elected councillors participate in formal and informal Island council meetings and council committees to advise the governor on policy and legislation. Councillors are encouraged to make presentations to the public on key political issues and are in touch with their constituents. Island council meetings are publicised in advance and the public are welcome to attend. An official record of Island council proceedings is published in the Island newspaper.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what facilities are provided for school-leavers aged 16 to 18 years old who are unable for insurance reasons to undertake apprenticeships with the companies on Ascension Island.

Geoff Hoon: The Ascension Island Government created a Further Education Scheme in 2003. This enables academically qualified students between the ages of 16 and 18 to study A-levels or vocational courses at Chichester college in the UK.
	There are also opportunities, subject to funding, to enrol in the Young People in Training Scheme. Places are currently only available within government, but the Ascension Island Government are considering how this scheme might be expanded.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to  (a) leasing and  (b) licensing property as a method of home ownership on Ascension Island.

Geoff Hoon: The Ascension Island council and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are working together on a draft housing policy. The basis on which property is occupied, and by whom, is being considered and will be discussed during the visit by FCO officials to Ascension Island in January.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingent liabilities affect rights of abode status on Ascension Island; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The Government concluded earlier this year that granting right of abode would bring an unacceptable level of financial risk to the UK.
	The decision was taken on the basis of an assessment of the services that would be required for a settled population; services that are not currently supplied by the Ascension Island Government and could not be afforded by a small, narrowly based economy dependent on a small number of employers.
	Some of the services and additional infrastructure that could be necessary are: power station replacement, electricity and water distribution, social services, pensions, employment, social security and the maintenance of access, most likely by air.

Consultants

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which 10 consultancy fees charged to her Department since May 1997 were the most expensive.

Geoff Hoon: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) operates a devolved budgeting system for the contracting of staff on a consultancy basis and no central records of fees charged per consultant or consultancy is maintained.
	FCO expenditure on external consultants in general is reported annually in its departmental report, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and on the FCO's website at www.fco.gov.uk.

Departmental Projects

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the 20 largest procurement projects initiated by her Department since May 1997 have been; what the  (a) original budget,  (b) cost to date and  (c) consultancy fees have been in respect of each; and what the final cost was of each project which has been completed.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) largest procurement projects are predominantly associated with our major construction and IT related programmes. Our longer term capital procurement projects are reported annually in our departmental report, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and on the FCO website at www.fco.gov.uk.
	However, there is also significant expenditure on procurement projects that are treated as administration costs rather than capital expenditure. A composite list of the 20 largest procurement projects since May 1997, covering both capital and administration expenditure is therefore listed as follows:
	FTN Telecommunications Project
	Future Firecrest IT Project
	Berlin Embassy Build
	Prism ERP System
	Worldwide Travel Services
	Iraq Security Contracts (2005)
	Public Services Programme
	Iraq Security Contracts (2004)
	Old Admiralty Building office refurbishment
	New ICT Building at Hanslope Park
	Airfreight Forwarding Services
	Knowledge Management Programme
	Iraq Security Guarding Contracts (2006)
	Baghdad Offices
	Basra Offices
	Afghanistan Security Guarding (2006)
	Heavy Baggage contract
	Heavy Baggage contract
	Dar Es Salaam Embassy Build
	Doha Offices, Residence and Amenities
	The FCO operates a devolved system of budgeting and no central records covering the original budget, cost to date, and consultancy fees in respect of each or the final costs of each project are held. To provide further detailed information covering each of these projects would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many temporary employees were contracted to work for her Department in 2005-06; and what the total cost of such employees was in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 1997-98.

Geoff Hoon: We do not have a central record of the numbers of staff employed under contract from agencies and it would incur disproportionate cost to obtain them. We do, however, have figures for the costs for the financial years (FY) in question, which are:
	FY 1997-98—£445,944
	FY 2005-06—£2,299,111
	We have recruited the following temporary employees during the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006:
	68 Fixed Term Officers. However, the costs are devolved to individual Departments and it would incur disproportionate cost to obtain them.
	51 Fee Paid Officers. This brought the total number of Fee Paid Officers employed during this period to an average of 241. The gross pay figure (fees) for the year was £7,492,758.52.
	We do not have this information for FY 1997-98.

EC Budget

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the UK's total contribution to the EU was in 2005-06; and what the value was of the rebate paid to the UK.

Geoff Hoon: HM Treasury's "Statement on the 2006 EC Budget" outlines figures for the actual and estimated United Kingdom gross and net contributions to the EC Budget up to 2007-08. For 2005-06, the estimated UK gross payment is £11.78 billion. The value of the abatement was £3.641 billion.

EC Budget

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much each British taxpayer contributed to the EU in 2005-06.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold a record of how much each British taxpayer contributed to the EU in 2005-06. Information on the UK's contribution to the EU budget during this period is available at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/664/24/ecbudget250506.pdf.

Embassies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many consular  (a) contacts and  (b) visits were made by each embassy and consulate in the last year for which information is available; in respect of how many individual cases; and what records she keeps of the nature or purpose of contacts and visits.

Kim Howells: In financial year 2005-06, our records show we made a total of 8,029 new contacts (4,766 to new detainees and 3,263 to new hospitalisation cases). We also made 8,745 visits (5,278 to those detained and 3,467 to those hospitalised). Some of the visits were multiple visits to the same person, and would incur disproportionate cost to measure individual cases. Records of contacts and visits are kept on individual case files to provide an accurate record of events for case management purposes, as well as providing a statistical record.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which clauses of the European Constitution have been put into practice by means other than secondary legislation; and which agencies provided for under the constitution have been established.

Geoff Hoon: No provisions of the European Constitutional Treaty have been put into effect; that would only be possible if all the member states of the EU ratify that treaty. The EU continues to exercise the powers conferred by the existing treaties, including powers to create agencies.

Gibraltar: Spanish Workers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much payments to Spanish workers formerly working in Gibraltar in respect of pensions will cost, broken down by main budget heading; and from which budget such payments will be made.

Geoff Hoon: The Trilateral Agreement reached in Cordoba on 18 September provides a settlement to the long-running issue of pensions paid to Spanish workers affected by the 1969 border closure. The Government already fund pensions to this group under a 1996 agreement. As part of the Cordoba settlement, the Government will offer uprated payments from April 2007 to those pensioners who agree to leave the Gibraltar Social Insurance Fund (GSIF).
	The cost of the existing pensions paid to this group is estimated to be £5.3 million in 2007-08. The additional cost of uprated payments in 2007-08 is estimated to be £3.75 million. The exact cost of payments in 2007-08 and subsequent years will, however, depend on the uptake of the offer, mortality rates and inflation rates.
	This agreement removes a substantial liability from the UK taxpayer, as the Spanish Government have agreed not to claim healthcare costs for those Spanish pensioners for whom it would be entitled to do under EC law.
	As under existing arrangements for pension payments, funding will be managed by the Department for International Development and payments administered by the Crown Agents Bank.
	This settlement has opened the way for the wider reform of GSIF. In this regard, the Government of Gibraltar has announced it will uprate the pensions of all pensioners remaining within the GSIF.

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with other EU leaders on levels of human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation into the EU from Romania and Bulgaria.

Geoff Hoon: Neither my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary nor I have had any recent discussions with EU leaders specifically on human trafficking from Romania and Bulgaria. Officials are in regular contact with opposite numbers in EU capitals in order to take forward the implementation of the EU Action Plan on human trafficking, which was agreed during the UK presidency of the EU in 2005. The Action Plan was discussed by Interior Ministers at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 4 and 5 December and is an important step in the fight against the trafficking of human beings. By working together, EU member states can identify the nature and scope of the problem, co-ordinate action to prevent trafficking into and within the EU, increase the effectiveness of investigations, and identify best practice to support and protect victims of trafficking.

Migration Quotas

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her position is on the announcement by the European Commission for Justice at the EU-Africa summit that national migration quotes should be managed by the European Union; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Vice-President Frattini clarified his comments at a press conference on 22 November explaining that the collection of statistics on legal migration opportunities in the EU would strengthen the Commission's hand in negotiations with third countries. In doing so he underlined that member states would continue to set national quotas where applicable.
	If such a proposal were made the UK would carefully consider its compatibility with our domestic managed migration strategy. The UK retains the right to opt in to immigration measures and we will not opt in to anything which harms our ability to control our own borders or which is against our national interest.

Mr. Litvinenko

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to foreign Governments on the death of Mr. Alexander Litvinenko.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to the Russian Foreign Minister. She has asked for the full co-operation of the Russian authorities as the police investigation continues and with respect to the public health aspects of the case. The Russian Foreign Minister has assured her that this co-operation will be forthcoming.

Multilateral Arms Control and Disarmament

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the interventions the UK ambassador for Multilateral Arms Control and Disarmament made at the recent Geneva Conference on the Convention for Conventional Weapons represent Government policy.

Kim Howells: UK policy on the issues discussed at the recent review conference on the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons was set out in our statements. These are available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1061396426063

Paraguay

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the internal security of Paraguay following the dismissal by President Duarte of General Key Kanazawa and military and police officers.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not made any official assessment of the internal security of Paraguay following the recent military and police reshuffles. Successors have been appointed for those removed from their positions. We continue to monitor the situation from our embassy in Buenos Aires and are in touch with the Paraguayan embassy in London.

Private Finance Initiative

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total capital value is of each private finance initiative scheme overseen by her Department which has reached financial close; over what period repayments will take place; and what the total cost of repayment will be.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has two major private finance initiative (PFI) contracts:
	A contract with Global Crossing for the provision of a world-wide telecommunications network for a term of 10 years from 10 May 2000, which is treated as an operating lease; and
	a contract with Arteos for the building, operation and maintenance of our embassy in Berlin, the value of which has been capitalised in our balance sheet. The contract, which runs for 30 years from 1998 until 2028, was originally capitalised in the financial year 2002-03 at a value of £33.41 million, with a balance of lifetime cost of £78.91 million.
	Information relating to PFI contracts may be found in Note 26 to the FCO Resource Accounts 2005-06 (HC 1495), and in corresponding notes to previous years' resource accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The lifetime cost figure is the sum of the projected unitary charge payments due over the lifetime of the project. These are not simply repayments of the capital spend on the projects, but include allowances for inflation and service provision. The amount to be paid is also conditional on the performance of the private sector contractor.

Recruitment Advertising

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much her Department spent on recruitment advertising in each of the last three years.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spent the following on recruitment advertising in each of the last three years:
	
		
			   £ 
			 December 2003-November 2004 319,545 
			 December 2004-November 2005 589,911 
			 December 2005-November 2006 537,594 
		
	
	Costs refer to the actual media spend, net of VAT, incurred by the FCO, of all recruitment advertising for generalist and specialist positions in the FCO and FCO services.
	FCO overseas missions and Non-Departmental Public Bodies also incur advertising costs when advertising for specific posts. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The FCO is committed to reaching as wide a range of potential applicants as possible. In 2006, we spent a significant amount on general advertising to encourage candidates from a diverse background to consider the FCO as a potential employer.
	In 2004, the FCO reduced the number of positions to be filled and as a result only one large-scale recruitment campaign was completed. The number of vacancies rose in 2005 and 2006 and four large-scale recruitment campaigns were undertaken resulting in higher associated advertising costs.

Romania and Bulgaria

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions her Department has held with the Governments of Romania and Bulgaria on the restrictions on migrant workers from those countries; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I met recently with Ministers from Romania and Bulgaria to explain the Government's decision on migrant workers. Our ambassadors in Bucharest and Sofia have also kept in close contact with their host Governments both before and after the decision was announced. I refer my right hon. Friend to the statement made to the House on 24 October 2006, Official Report, columns 82-84WS, by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on this subject.

Romania and Bulgaria

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions her Department has had with the Governments of other European Union states on national policies on accommodating workers from Romania and Bulgaria.

Geoff Hoon: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials were in regular contact with EU member states both before and after the UK took its decision on labour market access by Romanian and Bulgarian workers. Such contact has allowed the exchange of information on respective positions.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Brunswick Group

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what payments have been made by his Department to the Brunswick Group in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Central records indicate that no payments have been made to the Brunswick Group in any of the last four financial years.
	Further information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Electromagnetic Relativity Drive

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department has provided to the electromagnetic relativity drive design proposed by Roger Shawyer; and from what budget funding has been drawn.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 27 November 2006
	Awards have been made to Satellite Propulsion Research Ltd from the DTI's Small Firms and Enterprise budget.
	 July 2001—£43,809 paid.
	A feasibility study into the application of innovative microwave thruster technology for satellite propulsion. The study involved development of an experimental thruster followed by independent tests and evaluation.
	 August 2003—£81,291 total grant awarded, £68,399 paid to date.
	A follow-on from the above project, to design and develop a demonstration model engine. To be tested on a dynamic test rig, to demonstrate continuous thrust and the conversion of thrust into kinetic energy.
	Both grants were awarded against the criteria of the DTI's Smart scheme that was designed to help fund pioneering and risky R and D projects in small and medium enterprises. Highly qualified technical experts and academics carried out an assessment on behalf of the Department.

European Home Retail

Jim Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate the share trading in European Home Retail on the days leading up to the suspension of the company shares on 23 August.

Ian McCartney: The investigation into Farepak is wide ranging and although I cannot disclose specific lines of inquiry, the investigators are aware of this particular concern.

Farepak

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the collapse of Farepak; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: DTI Ministers have received extensive representations on the collapse of Farepak. I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made on 30 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 117-18WS.

Franco-British Nuclear Forum

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the first meeting of the Franco-British nuclear forum to take place.

Alistair Darling: The first meeting of the Franco British Nuclear Forum was on 29 November 2006 in Paris.

Palm Oil: South East Asia

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what volume of palm oil was imported from  (a) Indonesia,  (b) Brunei and  (c) Malaysia in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The figures requested are shown in the following table. No palm oil imports from Brunei were recorded.
	
		
			  UK imports of palm oil and palm kernel oil from Indonesia  and Malaysia 
			  Thousand tonnes 
			   Indonesia  Malaysia 
			 2001 106 146 
			 2002 162 154 
			 2003 103 210 
			 2004 126 149 
			 2005 163 123 
			  Source: HM Revenue and Customs Overseas Trade Statistics

Paternity Pay

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many men in Great Britain were entitled to paternity pay in each year since 2003-04; and what estimate he has made of future take-up rates.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We estimate that around 415,000 fathers are eligible for statutory paternity pay each year.
	Evidence suggests take-up is high and we expect this to continue. The Maternity and Paternity Rights and Benefits Survey 2005 found around 80 per cent. of fathers surveyed had used at least some of their statutory entitlement.

Postage Stamps: Charities

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations his Department has received from charities on the production of Royal Mail stamps.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department receives occasional inquiries from individuals or organisations regarding dedicated commemorative or awareness raising stamps for charities.
	Stamp designs are an operational matter for which Royal Mail has the direct responsibility and all such inquiries are forwarded to the company for careful consideration under its established selection process.

Royal Mail

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings Ministers in his Department have had in the last 12 months on plans for employee share ownership of the Royal Mail.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DTI Ministers regularly meet the postal services sector to discuss the issues affecting the sector, including the Royal Mail Board's proposal for an employee share scheme.

State Aid

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much total state aid was  (a) authorised and  (b) refused by the European Commission for each member state since May 1997.

Ian McCartney: The European Commission has issued since 2001 bi-annual reports on state aid in the State Aid Scoreboard, which provides statistical information on authorised state aid in each member state—available at:
	http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/state__aid/scoreboard/
	Statistical information on state aid authorised before 2001 is given in the Commission's Surveys on state aid in the European Union—at:
	http://ec.europe.eu/comm/competition/state_aid/scoreboard/previous.html

Wind Power

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the operational capacity factor of each wind power installation in the UK for which his Department has given consent under the Electricity Act 1989.

Alistair Darling: Industry figures suggest that a modern wind turbine produces electricity 70 to 85 per cent. of the time, but it generates different outputs dependent on wind speed. On average, it will generate about 30 per cent. of the theoretical maximum output over the course of a year.

Written Questions

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws), of 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 385W, on Parliamentary Questions, whether his Department grades or classifies written Parliamentary Questions according to their political sensitivity.

Alistair Darling: holding answer 4 December 2006
	No.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Children: Abuse

Stephen Byers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will review the provisions of the Limitation Act 1980 in so far as they apply to victims of child sexual abuse.

Harriet Harman: Under the current law, legal proceedings seeking civil damages for child abuse are usually brought as actions for trespass against the person in relation to intentionally inflicted injuries and as actions for negligence in other cases. The limitation period for trespass against the person is six years from the date on which the cause of action arose, although this period will not start to run until the child reaches the age of majority. In relation to actions for negligently inflicted injuries, the period is three years from the cause of action or from the date of knowledge (if later) of the person injured. The court has discretion to allow certain actions for negligently inflicted personal injuries to be brought even though the limitation period has expired.
	In its 2001 report "Limitation of Actions" (Law Com 270), the Law Commission recommended that the general law of limitation should be reformed. Under its proposals, a child abuse claim for trespass against the person or for negligence would have to be brought within three years from the date on which the claimant knew (or ought reasonably to have known) the facts giving rise to the cause of action, the identity of the defendant, and that any injury, loss or damage was significant. As now, time would not run while the claimant was a minor. In addition, the court would have discretion to disapply the limitation period if it would be unjust not to allow the claim to proceed.
	In July 2002, the Government announced their acceptance, in principle, of the Commission's recommendations, subject to further consideration of several issues. In relation to child abuse cases, as announced in the Home Office publication "Rebalancing the Criminal Justice System in Favour of the Law Abiding Majority: cutting crime, reducing re-offending and protecting the public" (July 2006), we intend to consult on whether limitation periods are fair to people who have been injured as a result of crime. When the work on the outstanding issues is complete, we will seek an opportunity to introduce a Bill to reform the law.

County Courts: Wandsworth

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much funding has been allocated to Wandsworth county court for  (a) headcount-related costs,  (b) administrative costs and  (c) maintenance costs in each of the last five years.

Harriet Harman: Her Majesty's Court Service (HMCS) was formed on 1 April 2005 by the merger of the Court Service and 42 magistrates Areas. Wandsworth county court was a constituent part of the Court Service.
	Following the creation of HMCS the accounting records of the Court Service were archived and accessing them to provide a 5-year history would be disproportionately expensive for the Department. Full records are available since the inception of HMCS and are in the table.
	
		
			  Wandsworth county court  2005-06  2006-07  Change (Percentage) 
			  (a) headcount-related costs 729,541 741,580 2 
			  (b) administrative costs 147,595 170,052 15 
			  (c) maintenance costs 44,000 49,000 11 
			  921,136 960,632 4

Court Service

George Howarth: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many cases were handled in each court in England and Wales in each of the last 12 months; and how many  (a) convictions and  (b) postponed trials there were in each court in this period.

Harriet Harman: Centrally held information is not collected at magistrates court level but at area level and is collected on a quarterly basis.
	Figures showing the number of disposals and ineffective trials for each area and Crown court centre have been placed in both libraries of the House. Also provided are the numbers of convictions in each Crown court centre—this information is not held centrally for the lower courts.

Courts: Salisbury

Robert Key: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her most recent estimate is of the cost of the proposed new Court House in Salisbury.

Harriet Harman: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the response given last week on 29 November 2006,  Official Report, column 762W, in which I said that I expect the capital cost of the project to the developer to be approximately £14.5 million. This is the most recent estimate for the proposed new Court House in Salisbury.

Data Protection

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans  (a) her Department and  (b) the Information Commissioner has to review guidance on the secondary use of personal information held for the collection and administration of council tax.

Vera Baird: The Department for Constitutional Affairs has no plans to produce any guidance on the secondary use of personal information held for the collection and administration of council tax. The Information Commissioner is reviewing his existing guidance on the use of personal information held for the collection and administration of the council tax. He anticipates that amended guidance will be published by the end of January 2007.

Departmental Staff

Roger Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many  (a) marketing officers,  (b) communications officers and  (c) press officers are employed in her Department; and what the total expenditure on communications for her Department was on (i) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (ii) other (A) press officers, (B) special advisers and (C) staff in the last year for which figures are available.

Vera Baird: The central communications team in DCA HQ includes 16 press officers and seven marketing officers. The Government Communication Network does not identify separate specialisms as communications or promotional officers.
	While this team does not hold a centralised budget for communications programmes, it managed expenditure on external communications of around £2,450,000 between August 2005 and July 2006 on behalf of DCA HQ colleagues. It is not yet possible to provide annual figures for 2006-07.
	The GICS has been replaced by the GCN.

Departmental Staff

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what procedure is followed in respect of complaints against  (a) her Department's (i) Permanent Secretary, (ii) ministerial correspondence unit staff, (iii) staff handling complaints, (iv) other staff and (v) consultants, (b) the Director of Judicial Offices for England and Wales, (c) other staff of the Judicial Offices for England and Wales, (d) the Chief Executive of the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, (e) other staff in the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, (f) the Chairman of the Legal Services Commission, (g) Board members of the Legal Services Commission, (h) other staff at the Legal Services Commission, (i) the Chief Executive of HM Courts Service and (j) other staff at HM Courts Service; what the timescale is for dealing with each such complaint; and what the grade should be of the staff dealing with complaints in each case.

Harriet Harman: The information about these procedures is not held centrally. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

Departmental Staff

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many temporary employees were contracted to work for her Department in 2005-06; and what the total cost of such employees was in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 1997-98.

Vera Baird: My Department has contracted with Kelly Services Ltd. for the provision of agency staff since 2001. In 2005-06, the average number of agency staff supplied by Kelly Services Ltd. to my Department was 722.
	 (a) Expenditure with Kelly Services Ltd. in 2005-06 was £10,465,205.
	 (b) Prior to 2001, expenditure relating to agency staff was not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information relating to agency staff supplied through employment agencies other than Kelly Services Ltd. is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Family Courts

Helen Goodman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to ensure family courts take better account of children's interests.

Harriet Harman: We want to improve outcomes for children involved in court cases by ensuring that their wishes and interests are at the heart of the family justice system. The DCA commissioned research from Cardiff university which suggests that children involved in family court proceedings often feel excluded and unheard in the process. Our aim is to ensure that:
	Young people in proceedings feel that the information given to them is clear;
	They are able to understand what is happening and why;
	They are told about the decisions made about them in a way which is in keeping with their age and level of understanding;
	They felt that the right choices had been given to them regarding their participation in the proceedings etc. in keeping with their age and understanding; and
	They are able to access information, if they choose to, when they reach 18 or thereafter, about the decisions made in their case.
	We are consulting about whether and how children could ask questions, attend court and talk to the judge or the magistrates directly. We are also discussing how judges might speak to children and account to them for the decisions that they have made about them. We are considering how we might keep a record of the court's judgment, so that, if the child wishes to, they are able to find out about their case when they grow up.
	We will announce in early 2007 the detail of how we intend to proceed following the consultation and we will also publish the responses to the consultation papers.

Legal Aid

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will take steps to increase the numbers of solicitors and practices undertaking work on behalf of defendants funded by legal aid.

Vera Baird: DCA and LSC have recently published "Legal Aid Reform: the way ahead," copies of which can be found in the House Library and on both the DCA and LSC websites. This document sets out our commitment to ensure a sustainable legal aid market is in place, with a quality assured service at the heart of our procurement strategy. The LSC continues to provide defendants in criminal cases access to legal advice and representation, thus safeguarding their right to a fair trial. I believe that the way ahead we have outlined will secure this for the future, at a price that is fair for defendants, fair for the taxpayer and fair for the practitioner.

Legal Aid

Jim Cousins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of the introduction of changes in means testing legal aid from 1 October 2006 on the effectiveness of  (a) magistrates and  (b) Crown courts.

Vera Baird: Since the implementation of the means test in the magistrates court, over 93,000 applications have been processed to date, and in many major urban areas the new scheme is being successfully implemented. On 22 November, in response to concerns raised in other areas, I announced a package of changes to improve the operational effectiveness of the new scheme. In particular, I am changing the conditions of early cover to encourage solicitors to take on first hearings and the forms are currently being reviewed. There is little evidence of any significant adverse impact on Crown court business.

Scottish Members: Voting Rights

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if her Department will commission research into the effects on public confidence in the parliamentary process of allowing hon. Members for Scottish constituencies to vote on matters exclusively affecting England.

Bridget Prentice: Because of the way the devolution settlement and the funding for the devolved institutions work, there is no such thing as a matter exclusively affecting England. Suggesting that some MPs are 'second-class' representatives would have more damaging effects on public confidence in the parliamentary process than the present arrangements.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests have been received at the Permanent Joint Headquarters since the beginning of the ISAF deployment in Afghanistan for  (a) helicopters,  (b) armoured vehicles and  (c) additional forces; and what the response of (i) the commitment staff and (ii) Ministers has been.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 27 November 2006
	The current force deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, was announced on 26 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 1529-33. Since then, as part of the routine process of evaluating our force structure, the Ministry of Defence and the Permanent Joint Headquarters have regularly received, and actioned, requests from theatre for changes to the military capabilities and equipment deployed. In addition, we conduct more substantial periodic Force Level Reviews which examine equipment and personnel levels.
	As a result of these well-proven processes, the Secretary of State for Defence has announced: the deployment of some 130 troops of the RAF Regiment on 15 June 2006,  Official Report, column 67, a force uplift of some 870 troops on 10 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1131-35, the deployment of two extra Chinook Helicopters on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 76, a new vehicle package (Mastiff and Vector) for operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq; and the deployment of an additional Harrier on 18 September 2006,  Official Report, column 136.
	Any further changes to force levels that are deemed necessary will also be announced to Parliament in the normal manner.

Afghanistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) average and  (b) shortest time has been between the completion of training and deployment to Afghanistan of pilots from the (a) Army Air Corps and (b) Royal Air Force.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions British forces in Afghanistan have received on  (a) eliminating poppy production,  (b) attacking Taliban strongholds and  (c) reconstruction.

Des Browne: As my predecessor made clear when he announced the UK deployment to Helmand province on 26 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 1529-36, UK forces deployed to Afghanistan as part of a comprehensive cross-Government package in order to establish the security conditions for improved governance, reconstruction and development to take place.
	The NATO Operational Plan for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) provides guidance on the range of tasks to be conducted by ISAF contributing forces, including support to counter narcotics and reconstruction. The exact nature of tasks troops undertake at any point in time is determined by the NATO chain of command.

Airfield Support Services

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the upgrading of  (a) fire and  (b) other airfield support services; and what budget has been allocated for such upgrades.

Adam Ingram: There are currently no plans for upgrades to airfield fire support equipment, but we continue to fund a number of equipment projects to maintain current standards. In September 2006, the Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation (DFRMO) was established, which brings together the various elements of the Department's Fire and Rescue services. DFRMO provides a fully integrated and regionally based structure which ensures a more efficient and cost effective delivery of fire services.
	There is a phased programme for the replacement of specialist airfield vehicles. Contracts have already been awarded for new aircraft refuellers, aircraft sewage trucks, water demineralistion trucks and large aircraft tow tractors. These will be delivered over the next two to three years. Contracts for other specialist airfield vehicles are planned. The capital budget for the entire programme is £90.1 million for the period financial year 2006-07 to 2112-13.

Annual Accounting Statements

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why his Department's top level budget holders have reduced the number of management groupings that produce annual accounting statements, under the Simplify and Improve initiative.

Adam Ingram: The number of management groupings has been reduced for four main reasons:
	to bear down on non-value-adding transactional activity, thereby generating efficiency savings in line with Sir Peter Gershon's report on Releasing Resources to the Front Line;
	to simplify the accounts' consolidation process, thus facilitating the publication of our Annual Report and Accounts before Parliament rises for the summer recess under the Faster Closing initiative;
	to reflect the removal of agency status (and, therefore, the requirement to produce separate agency accounts) for those organisations with minor asset holdings and mainly cash costs, under the Simplify and Improve initiative;
	to streamline processes, deliver efficiencies and minimise the bureaucratic overhead locally.

Armed Forces Act

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to bring forward proposals to amend the Armed Forces Act 2006 in the light of the European Court of Human Rights case Martin  v. United Kingdom.

Derek Twigg: We are carefully considering the judgment in the Martin case, but we are confident that any arrangements required to ensure the compliance of the court martial when it deals with civilians can be made within the rule making powers already in the Armed Forces Act 2006. These will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny through the negative resolution procedure.

Armoured Vehicles

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Cougar and Vector Pinzgauer armoured vehicles are being sent to  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; and when they are expected to arrive.

Adam Ingram: On 24 July my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced we would procure around 100 Cougar vehicles and around 160 Vector.
	On current plans half of the Mastiff (the UK variants of the Cougar) vehicles will deploy to Iraq, the remaining half will be split between Afghanistan and a training pool of vehicles retained in the United Kingdom. The first batch of Mastiff vehicles is on schedule to arrive in Iraq by the end of the year.
	A majority of the Vector vehicles will be deployed to Afghanistan with a small number retained in the United Kingdom for training. The first batch of Vector vehicles is on schedule to arrive in Afghanistan in January 2007.
	However, final decisions on the deployment of these vehicles are a matter for operational commanders.

Armoured Vehicles

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) Challenger II main battle tanks,  (b) Warrior armoured infantry fighting vehicles and  (c) AS 90 guns are (i) in service and (ii) available for immediate deployment.

Adam Ingram: The numbers of Challenger 2, Warrior and AS90 in service and therefore available for immediate deployment are as follows:
	
		
			  Equipment  Numbers available for deployment 
			 Challenger 2 main battle tank 276 
			 Warrior infantry fighting vehicle 687 
			 AS90 102 
		
	
	"In service" is defined as equipment that is not in deep maintenance, repair, storage or training.

Army Training and Equipment Costs

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of  (a) training and equipping one infantryman in the army and  (b) employing that infantryman for five years.

Derek Twigg: The cost of training an Infantryman in financial year 2005-06, the latest period for which figures are available, was £27,000. These costs relate to the combined Phase 1 and 2 course at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC) Catterick, which prepares the Infantryman for their first appointment with the Field Army.
	Capitation rates for the equivalent of an Infantryman, rank of Private, for financial year 2006-07 are in the region of £22,000 per annum. This covers basic pay, ERNIC and SCAPE (superannuation contributions adjusted for past experience). Capitation rates do not include allowances as these are specific to individuals and differ widely across the Army.

Bonuses

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total workforce they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid in bonuses to civil servants in his Department each year since 2001-02; and how many civil servants received bonuses in each year.

Derek Twigg: The number and value of annual appraisal related bonuses paid to members of the senior civil service (SCS), to fixed term appointees and to civil servants below the level of the SCS covered by the MOD main pay deal (excluding trading funds and agencies), over the past four years, are listed in the following tables one to three. Because MOD introduced a new bonus system for the main body of staff in 2003, we are only able to supply four years of data. The Ministry of Defence also awards special bonuses to individuals and teams for exceptional performance in a specific task or for the achievement of professional qualifications which benefit MOD and the individual; these are shown in table four. The final table (five) shows the total value of all bonuses paid: in cash terms and as a percentage of the total civilian workforce.
	
		
			  Table 1: Bonuses paid to senior civil servants 
			   2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04 
			 Number of bonuses paid 181 184 136 134 
			 Value of bonuses paid (£) 1,172,000 909,500 711,737 672,460 
			 Highest bonus payment (£) 16,000 12,500 11,358 9,822 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Bonuses paid to fixed term appointees 
			   2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04 
			 Number of bonuses paid 10 12 16 13 
			 Value of bonuses paid (£) 78,874 80,478 119,668 80,347 
			 Highest bonus payment (£) 12,915 14,340 8,500 6,827 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: End of year bonuses paid to staff below the level of the SCS:  (excluding MOD trading fund agencies) 
			   2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04 
			 Number of bonuses paid 46,401 38,766 36,043 27,497 
			 Value of bonuses paid (£) 36,148,705 37,962,800 29,312,275 20,203,875 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Special bonuses  (excluding MOD trading fund agencies) 
			   2006-07( 1)  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04 
			 Number of staff who received bonus(es) 4,984 10,131 10,074 11,872 
			 Value of bonuses paid (£) 1,890,297 4,364,400 3,962,482 3,909,531 
			 (1 )April to October 2006 only. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 5: Summary of bonuses paid 
			  Total  2006-07( 1)  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04 
			 Value of all bonuses paid (£) 39,147,749 43,317,178 34,106,162 24,866,213 
			 Percentage of total civilian workforce(2) Not yet available 51.3 47.8 41.1 
			 (1 )For SBA's April to October 2006 only. (2) Staff numbers taken from departmental end of year accounts made up of the total workforce.

Defence Medical Services

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) establishment and  (b) manning levels are of doctors in Defence Medical Services, broken down by main specialties of practice.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 4 December 2006
	The following table shows the trained strength against establishment for consultants in the Defence Medical Services, broken down by specialty, as at 1 July 2006.
	
		
			  Specialty  Establishment by Specialty  Trained Strength 
			 Anaesthetists 59 45 
			 General Medicine 30 18 
			 Dermatology 2 2 
			 Paediatrics — 2 
			 Genito-Urinary Medicine 2 1 
			 General Surgeons 35 16 
			 Urology 1 2 
			 Orthopaedic Surgeons 28 21 
			 Burns and Plastics 5 5 
			 Emergency Medicine 13 14 
			 Psychiatrists 26 13 
			 Ophthalmic Surgeons 3 4 
			 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons 11 3 
			 Oto-Rhino-Laryngology 7 6 
			 Rheumatology and Rehab 7 4 
			 Radiologists 11 7 
			 Pathology (all branches) 11 4 
			 Aviation Medicine 11 10 
			 Occupational Medicine 26 40 
			 Diving Medicine 1 2 
			 Radiation Medicine 1 2 
			 Public Health 4 11 
			 General Medical Practitioner 360 250 
			 Command and Staff (no specialty specified) 120 (1)— 
			 (1 )The personnel filling Command and Staff posts are counted against their specialty in the above table.  Notes: 1. Figures are as at 1 July 2006. 2. Figures over 100 are rounded to nearest 10.  Source: DMSD 
		
	
	As explained in a previous answer on 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1692W, to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey), "Establishment" is the listing of an individual unit's funded appointments/posts. It is different to the "Requirement", which is those posts necessary to support Defence Planning Assumptions. In light of the defence planning assumptions contained in Defence Strategic Guidance 05, revised manning requirement figures are expected to be available before the end of this year. The new requirement figures will indicate the number and type of Defence Medical Services personnel necessary to support operations and those needed in non-operational posts requiring uniformed personnel.

Defence Schools Presentation Scheme

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future funding of the Defence Schools Presentation Scheme.

Derek Twigg: For the last three years the Department has funded Defence Schools Presentations Teams (DSPT) which tour secondary schools giving a half day interactive presentation about defence to 14 to 16-year-olds. There are five such teams covering different areas of the country, and over the last year they visited about 460 schools (about 10 per cent. of the total number in the country serving this age group). These presentations are generally well received and do allow us to get some of our messages over about the importance of defence. The investment here is about £2.1 million a year and we have reviewed our approach.
	The Department will be introducing a new schools e-learning product. Through creating an educational website called "Defence Dynamics", our main focus will be to provide Secondary School teachers of 14 to 16-year-olds with pre-packaged electronic lesson plans with Defence themes. Defence Dynamics will start with the delivery in September 2007 of 40 plus lesson plans with audio-visuals in Science, Maths and English based on scenarios that reflect the professional work of the MOD and the armed forces worldwide. The material will be developed to support the requirements of the school curriculum and across a range of subject areas in the longer term. MOD will be working closely with DfES and the devolved Government education Departments in the UK. Initially the Defence Dynamics programme will run for two years with the aim to develop this for the long-term. A similar e-learning approach has been used successfully in Australian schools for three years ("Defence 2020").
	The intention is to disband the touring DSPT in July 2007 (the end of this academic year) and launch the new schools e-learning product in September 2007. The Department will be maintaining its engagement with schools and switching to an approach that will enable us to reach many more children than are visited by the touring DSPT, and at a significantly lower cost.
	The armed forces engagement with youth activities continues—each service of the armed forces has a presentation team and these remain in place. There is also a wide range of single service youth activity.

Departmental Archives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors were taken into account when the original decision was made to store in his Department's archives the two files referred to in his answer of 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1453W.

Derek Twigg: File WO208/3548 and extract WO208/3654, were originally reviewed in accordance with the terms of the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967. They were assessed as being suitable for permanent preservation at the Public Record Office (now The National Archives) but were judged then to be too sensitive for release. They were therefore retained in the Department in accordance with section 3(4) of the Public Records Act with the approval of the Lord Chancellor. Their sensitivity would routinely have been re-reviewed every 10 years.
	These items were retained with similarly sensitive material in the central Ministry of Defence archive, which, in 2003 was found to have been contaminated by asbestos. WO208/3654 has since been re-constituted, re-reviewed and released to The National Archives. Unfortunately a search of the list of material removed from the contaminated archive has shown that WO208/3548 is not recorded. Further searches will be made for this file as the scanning project to recover contaminated files proceeds.

Departmental Contracts

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  from which companies his Department charters  (a) B757s and  (b) DC10s; and what the value is of each contract involved;
	(2)  which contracts his Department has with Omni Air; and what the value is of each contract.

Adam Ingram: The MOD charters Boeing 757s and DC10s through recognised brokers who have contracts with various companies including Titan, Omni Air and Astraeus. The MOD does not hold contracts directly with the charter companies, and therefore the value of each contract is a matter between the brokers and companies. During the current financial year, the total value of charter costs with these companies, and others, has been approximately £l,531,000 for Boeing 757s and £9,772,000 for DC10s.

Departmental Reports

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's  (a) Continuous Working Patterns Survey report,  (b) Leave Survey report,  (c) Pay Analysis—Current and Future Pay report and  (d) Local Overseas Allowances Survey for each year since 1997-98.

Adam Ingram: Copies of the Continuous Working Patterns and Leave Survey reports for each year since 2000-01 are available in the Library of the House.
	The earlier reports are held in very fragmented form and I will write to the hon. Member when the summaries of the reports for the previous years have been completed. I will also place copies of them in the Library of the House.
	The outputs from the Pay Analyses—Current and Future Pay Report and the Local Overseas Allowance Survey are purely unrounded numerical data held in spreadsheets and no accessible reports are available.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff were employed through employment agencies in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies in each of the last five years for which information is available; and what the (i) average and (ii) longest time was for which these temporary workers were employed in each year.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether people employed  (a) through employment agencies and  (b) on a consultancy basis are included in the calculations for the full-time equivalent staff mentioned in his Department's annual report.

Derek Twigg: No.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's annual budget is for employing workers on a consultancy basis; and how much of this budget was used in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Derek Twigg: My Department has no single centralised budget for consultancy spending.
	The MOD's budget has a number of layers of delegated budgetary responsibility and budget holders make decisions as to their particular requirements to employ consultants on a case-by-case basis.
	Summaries of MOD expenditure on external assistance, of which consultancy is a part, are available in the Library of the House for the years 1995-96 to 2005-06.

Departmental Staff

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff have left his Department under voluntary early release schemes in each of the last four quarters; and what the financial cost of these departures has been.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Data are held on the number of staff that have left the Department but not whether their release has been under a voluntary early release scheme.

Departmental Staff

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total expenditure on  (a) agency staff and  (b) consultants was in his Department for each of the last four quarters for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not available on a quarterly basis and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	However, summaries of MOD's annual expenditure on External Assistance, of which consultancy is a part, are available in the Library of the House for the years 1995-96 to 2005-06.

Departmental Staff

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many temporary employees were contracted to work for his Department in 2005-06; and what the total cost of such employees was in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 1997-98.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of temporary staff( 1)  Gross pay (£ million)  NI and pension contributions (£ million)  Total cost (£ million) 
			 2005-06 4,428 52.9 13.9 66.8 
			 1997-98 9,158 79.5 (2)20.8 100.3 
			 (1 )"Temporary staff" has been defined as staff on a fixed term appointment or casual contract at any time during the year.  (2) Figures for employer pension contributions for 1,573 industrial staff on casual contracts in 1997-98 are unavailable. However, in the vast majority of cases no contributions would have been made.   Note:  All figures relate to the parent Department only and exclude MOD's Trading Funded agencies.

Diana Elias

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) total,  (b) court and  (c) inter-party costs were of litigation arising from cases involving Diana Elias; and how much (i) compensation and (ii) awards have been paid to Diana Elias.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence's costs arising from legal action with Mrs. Elias regarding the Ex Gratia Payment Scheme for former Far East Prisoners of War and civilian internees have yet to be finalised. The total as at the end of October was some £159,000 excluding VAT. This does not include the claimant's costs which are not yet known but does include identifiable court fees of some £400.
	As was made clear in my statement of 17 October 2006,  Official Report, column 46WS, Mrs. Elias has received a £10,000 ex gratia payment under the scheme. The courts awarded Mrs. Elias damages of £3,000 plus interest; as at 27 November, work between the two sides to agree the final value of the this sum had not been completed.

EU Co-operation

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the contribution of the UK into EU defence planning institutions.

Des Browne: The EU does not have defence planning institutions. This activity is undertaken by the Policy and Plans Directorate of the EU Military Staff which, until very recently, was led by a UK officer.
	Our most recent major input into EU's defence planning activity has been the UK's response to the Headline Goal Questionnaire submitted in late March 2006, which sets out the capabilities which the UK might potentially be able to make available to EU-led operations. Since then, lower level activity has taken place to assist the EU with the process of scrutiny and assessment of both UK and other member states' inputs to the Headline Goal.

EU Co-operation

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of military advisers to EU Special Representatives; and how many there are.

Des Browne: The EU Special Representative for Sudan has a Military Adviser and a Deputy Military Adviser. The EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina has two Political-Military Advisers. There are no other military advisers to EU Special Representatives.
	The Military Advisers' role in Sudan is to help to ensure the coherence of the military component of the EU supporting action in Addis Ababa and manage coordination with the African Union.
	The Political-Military Advisers' role in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is to support the EU Special Representative in ensuring the coherence, visibility and effectiveness of the overall EU action in BiH, particularly in the security area.

Falkland Islands

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on maintaining a UK force on the Falkland Islands in each of the last five years.

Adam Ingram: In each of the last five years the costs of the Chief of Joint Operations, who is responsible for maintaining a UK force on the Falkland Islands, are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Costs (£ million) 
			 2005-06 143.3 
			 2004-05 113.1 
			 2003-04 110.6 
			 2002-03 119.8 
			 2001-02 115.3

Faslane

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contractors are employed at the Faslane base in Scotland.

Derek Twigg: There are some 2,478 contractor personnel from 177 contractors and subcontractors employed at HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane and Coulport). Contractors do not work exclusively at one site so it is not therefore possible to give a figure for Faslane only.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work  (a) in his Department and  (b) for non-Departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which his Department is responsible are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies.

Derek Twigg: In conjunction with its overarching Equality and Diversity Scheme 2006-09 the Department has also published a set of associated Action Plans to cover the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007, setting out our programme of proposed actions. As part of this programme there is an action to review our standard conditions of contract DEFCON 516 with representatives from the Defence Industry Trade Association, to ensure that we meet our duty obligations in respect of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief and in Northern Ireland, duties under the Fair Employment Legislation.
	Copies of the MOD Equality and Diversity Scheme 2006-09 and its associated Action Plans are available in the Library of the House and have also been published on the Department's website.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to carry out gender impact assessments of his Department's major policy developments and new legislation.

Derek Twigg: In order to meet the specific duties placed on the Department one of the major requirements of the MOD's Equality and Diversity Scheme 2006-09, is to undertake diversity impact assessments (including gender) of the Department's functions, policies, procedures and services, subject to relevance and proportionality. To assist with impact assessment an Equality and Diversity Impact Assessment Tool has been developed which enables MOD policy sponsors, and service providers to impact assess their areas of work in respect of equality and diversity issues. Progress against this requirement will be detailed in our annual reports against our Scheme.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that  (a) his Department and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which he is responsible are taking steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (i) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (ii) to promote equality between women and men.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence has adopted a unified philosophy to equality and diversity issues at a strategic level which is reflected in our Unified Diversity Strategy (UDS). The UDS ensures the development of equality and diversity action plans throughout the organisation which are relevant to and reflective of the respective requirements of the armed forces, civilians, MOD police and executive agencies. This strategy is underpinned by clear and robust equality and diversity policies covering all aspects of the Department's work.
	The steps the Department has already taken to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duties are the publication of its overarching equality and diversity scheme 2006 to 2009 and associated action plans for 2006-07. A major requirement of our scheme is the obligation to undertake diversity impact assessments of the Department's functions, policies, procedures and services, subject to relevance and proportionality. This is also supported by a Training Management Framework to ensure that our entire workforce, uniformed and civilian, are properly trained, that their awareness is raised and that they are sensitive to diversity issues. There are several levels of training from our initial induction courses through to specialist training for specific posts.
	A copy of the Unified Diversity Strategy is available in the Library of the House and it has been published on the Department's website.

Helicopters

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many helicopters there are in the UK armed services, broken down by  (a) type and  (b) role;
	(2)  how many helicopters in the UK armed services are  (a) out of service due to reduced readiness and  (b) mothballed.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 28 November 2006
	The following table sets out the number of helicopters in the UK armed forces broken down by type and role as at 31 October 2006. Aircraft that are out of service due to reduced readiness has been taken to mean aircraft in the depth fleet, that is, aircraft on scheduled routine maintenance, repair and upgrades. Mothballed has been taken to mean aircraft placed in storage in a flying or "near flying" condition.
	The fleet sizes quoted cover those aircraft expected to be flown and does not include some aircraft that are currently classified as redundant, unrepairable or in storage.
	
		
			  Helicopter type  Helicopter role  Fleet size  In depth fleet  In storage 
			 Agusta Al09A/AM Light multi-role 4 0 0 
			 Apache AH Mk1 Attack helicopter 67 7 0 
			 Chinook Mk 2/2a Heavy lift 40 13 0 
			 Gazelle Mk 1(1) Light utility/reconnaissance 75 21 0 
			 Lynx Mk 3 / Mk 8 Anti-submarine and anti small surface craft 65 21 0 
			 Lynx Mk 7 / 9 Multi role light utility (lift, reconnaissance, casualty evacuation) 100 26 0 
			 Merlin Mk 1 Primary: anti-submarine and anti surface warfare. Secondary: search and rescue (SAR) 38 11 0 
			 Merlin Mk 3 Primary: support helicopter Secondary: intelligence surveillance targeting and reconnaissance (ISTAR) 22 6 0 
			 Puma Mk 1 Battlefield helicopter 40 14 0 
			 Sea King Mk 3/3a Helicopter air rescue (HAR) 25 8 0 
			 Sea King Mk 4 Commando 37 8 0 
			 Sea King Mk 5 Helicopter utility (HU) 16 5 0 
			 Sea King Mk 6(2) Anti-submarine 0 0 14 
			 Sea King Mk 6c Commando 5 2 2 
			 Sea King Mk 7 Airborne surveillance and control (ASAC) 11 4 0 
			 (1) Gazelle is being progressively removed from service  (2) Sea King Mk6 has been removed from service having gone beyond its service life. 
		
	
	In addition to the aircraft in the previous table, the Department contracts for commercially owned helicopters and the following table shows those broken down by type and role as at 31 October 2006. These aircraft are on availability contracts and are not owned by the Department.
	
		
			  Helicopter type  Fleet size  Helicopter role 
			 Dauphin 2 Winching and operations to NATO ships 
			 Bell 212 7 Utility 
			 Bell 412 15 Utility 
			 Squirrel 37 Flying training 
			 AgustaA109E Power 3 Communications flight / VIP

Helicopters

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to establish the necessary infrastructure to recruit, train, equip and sustain  (a) six new infantry battalions and  (b) three additional squadrons of medium support helicopters, together with the necessary air crew and support staff.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 4 December 2006
	We have no plans to create an additional six infantry battalions or three helicopter squadrons. As the hon. Member will be aware, the Secretary of State announced on 16 December 2004,  Official Report, column 1793, the Future Army Structure which would provide an Army better balanced to conduct short notice expeditionary operations, as well as enduring operations more efficiently, allowing us to respond appropriately to a wider range of possible contingencies, including the current and future strategic environment. This structure takes account of the requirement to integrate the full range of joint effects, including medium support helicopters.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is normal practice for rigid raiders to transfer personnel between bases as part of a routine boat patrol in Iraq.

Des Browne: Rigid Raider Craft are used regularly as part of boat patrols in Iraq. Commanders make use of all means available to them to transfer personnel, including boats on the Shat-Al-Arab waterway.

Iraq

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is contributing to the cost of treatment of service personnel who are casualties of the Iraq war and its aftermath in NHS hospitals.

Derek Twigg: Yes. It was agreed in the mid-1990s on the closure of most of the Service hospitals that the Department would pay for all Service patients treated at the NHS Trusts which host the Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHUs) which were set up to train MOD medical personnel.

Iraq

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the disbandment of the Iraqi army on security in Iraq; and what progress has been made in re-establishing an Iraqi armed service aimed at maintaining the rule of law.

Des Browne: holding answer 4 December 2006
	The Iraqi army was disbanded, in March 2003, by the Coalition Provisional Authority. No recent assessment has been made of the impact of this decision upon the security situation in Iraq. Good progress has been achieved with the training and equipping of the Iraqi Security Forces. There are now over 322,000 personnel in the Iraqi Security Forces: over 188,000 in Ministry of Interior forces (which includes police) and over 134,000 in Ministry of Defence forces (which includes Army).

Joint Personnel Administration System

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether members of the armed forces have received late payments since the Joint Personnel Administration system has gone live.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 28 November 2006
	The vast majority of personnel have received their basic pay on time.
	Although late payments of salaries have been experienced by some personnel serving overseas, these were due to the simultaneous introduction of a new system of overseas bank payments, and not the Joint Personnel Administration system.
	Late payments have, almost without exception, related solely to the specialist pay and allowances components of total salary rather than the core basic pay component. These issues have now very largely been resolved.
	Arrangements are in place at unit level to make up any shortfall in pay that might occur.

Joint Personnel Administration System

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the first six months of the operation of the Joint Personnel Administration system for RAF personnel.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 28 November 2006
	Joint Personnel Administration remains on track to deliver the anticipated benefits of empowering the individual, providing much improved personnel management information, and enabling financial savings through reduced costs of ownership. The system has achieved target implementation dates for both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy; implementation to the Army remains on track for March 2007.
	Following resolution of initial and unanticipated speed of response issues, system performance has been good. Teething problems experienced have been within the bounds of what might be expected from a system of this size and complexity.
	Basic Pay for the RAF has, almost without exception, been paid accurately and on time via the system since roll out. Initial inaccurate payments of RAF specialist pay and allowances due to technical problems with the system have largely been resolved. The remaining problems with RAF specialist pay and allowances are primarily due to self service user error or incorrect inputs by unit human resources staff.
	Lessons have been learned from the roll out to the RAF, and applied to the Royal Navy roll out that happened on 23 October 2006. This includes reinforcements and additional training for enquiry centre staff, and particular emphasis has been placed upon specialist pay and allowances issues during testing. Enhanced self service user instructions have been introduced, and experienced Royal Navy pay specialists are on hand to provide additional expertise to payroll and enquiry centre teams.
	Notwithstanding that the number of users logging into the Joint Personnel Administration system has significantly increased following RN implementation, good levels of system performance have been maintained.

Joint Personnel Administration System

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what access service personnel have to the Joint Personnel Administration system while on operations in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 28 November 2006
	In Afghanistan, access for Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel, to the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) is normally through the deployed unit's human resource (HR) staff. In Iraq access is through the JPA self-service function.
	In addition deployed unit human resource staff have access to their parent units in the United Kingdom. A fast track processes allows HR staff for deployed personnel, to directly call the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency's JPA Operations Room with their inquiries which are given priority. Parent units in the UK are able to do the same if approached by the partners of personnel serving overseas.

Living Accommodation

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married armed forces service personnel posted abroad with their families have been allocated single living accommodation on arrival in each of the last three years; and what the  (a) average and  (b) longest period of time is which servicemen or women have had to wait to be housed with their families.

Derek Twigg: In Cyprus and the Falkland Island, between 2004-06, we are aware of no occasions whereby service personnel entitled to service families accommodation (SFA) had to occupy single living accommodation (SLA). In Gibraltar, in 2005, 10 entitled service families resided in SLA (for an average of six weeks) while waiting to take up residence in SFA.
	For Germany the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Living Accommodation

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reports of boilers and heating systems breaking down in living accommodation for armed forces personnel there were in each of the last three years; and what the  (a) average and  (b) longest time taken to replace the boiler was in that period.

Derek Twigg: Information for the years prior to the Housing Prime Contract going live is not held centrally or in a consistent form. It will take a little time to ascertain if a reply can be given without disproportionate cost. I will therefore write to the hon. Member once this has been established, together with the figures since the implementation of the Housing Prime Contract.

Meteorological Office

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the remit will be of the futures group at the Meteorological Office; when the group is expected to be established; and how many members it will have.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 23 November 2006
	The 'Futures' group now referred to as Met Office Consultancy was set up in September 2006. The team is led by two individuals with significant commercial and consultancy experience and currently comprises 10 members of staff in total.
	The consultancy group is part of the commercial business area and has the specific remit to provide climate change risk management and scientific advice to existing and new business customers. Met Office Consultancy therefore harnesses the scientific expertise and reputation to address business climate change risk management needs namely: accurate assessment of customer climate change risks, their impacts and consequently the business mitigation plans.

Meteorological Office

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Meteorological Office about an increase in their commercial activities.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 23 November 2006
	The Met Office's commercial activities have been discussed recently in the context of the Met Office four-year corporate plan which sets out ambitious plans for growth in commercial activities. The increase in commercial activities will have a clear role in the successful future of the Met Office by generating profitable revenue from customers to fund future investment thereby helping to deliver value to the UK taxpayer.
	The Met Office was successful in meeting its commercial profit KPT for financial year 2005-06, achieving a figure of £2.9 million against a target of £2.8 million. They are also forecasting to meet their target for commercial profit of £3.6 million in the current year.

Military Advisers

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military advisers are deployed for the training of the  (a) Afghan National Army and  (b) Iraqi Security Forces.

Adam Ingram: There are approximately 230 British military advisers currently deployed specifically to train the Afghan National Army (ANA), and approximately 80 British military advisers currently deployed specifically to train the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).
	In addition, all deployed British military personnel will assist and provide support in training as required, and will act as mentors when working alongside either the ANA or the ISF, but are not deployed specifically for these tasks.

Military Campaign Medals

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules govern the determination of recipients of the award of a military campaign medal.

Derek Twigg: The eligibility of an individual for a particular campaign medal is determined by the qualifying criteria for that medal which is decided as early as possible during the campaign by the cross-Government Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals following advice from the MOD. The criteria will include elements such as the operational area, the qualifying period of service within that area, whether that time must be continuous or aggregated and any specific exclusions.
	Details of the qualifying criteria for the Iraq campaign medal were published in Cm6135 (February 2004) and supplemented by Cm6936 (October 2006).

Military Campaign Medals

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which war correspondents accredited by his Department and deployed to Iraq in March and April 2003 do not qualify for the Iraq campaign medal.

Derek Twigg: In accordance with DCI Gen 170/04, all Ministry of Defence accredited war correspondents deployed to the qualifying Zones for the appropriate length of time during the related period (a minimum of seven continuous days between 19 March-28 April 2003 for the medal with clasp) are eligible for the award. All accredited war correspondents listed in MOD records for Operation Telic fall into this category and therefore qualify for the Operation Telic Campaign medal with clasp.

Military Vehicles

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the  (a) mine and  (b) ballistic protection afforded by (i) the BvS10 Viking without slatted armour and (ii) the BAe Land Systems RG-31 Mine Protected Vehicle.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 186-87W.

Munitions

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many live rounds of ammunition have been fired by UK forces in action in the last three years;
	(2)  how many bombs have been detonated by UK forces on active service since 1997.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Officers and Soldiers

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department defines  (a) trained and  (b) untrained (i) officers and (ii) soldiers.

Derek Twigg: Officers are classed as trained, and are taken on to the trained strength of the Army, upon successfully passing out of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (RMAS). Prior to completing the commissioning course at RMAS potential officers are classed as untrained and counted on the Army's untrained strength.
	Soldiers are classed as trained, and taken on to the trained strength of the Army, once they have successfully passed Phase One Common Military Syllabus (Recruit) (CMS(R)) course together with Phase Two Special-to-Arm (STA) course. While undertaking training (CMS(R) and STA) soldiers are classed as untrained, and counted as part of the Army's untrained strength.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has a traffic light system in place for processing parliamentary questions, where questions are categorised using a colour code.

Derek Twigg: No. Parliamentary questions are processed by the date they are due for answer.

Post-traumatic Stress

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the role of the Priory Group in treating serving and retired armed services personnel suffering from post traumatic stress and post traumatic stress disorder.

Derek Twigg: Only serving members of the armed forces or mobilised reservists are referred for treatment at The Priory Group facilities for mental health services. The MOD also provides its own community-based mental health facilities that undertake out-patient care to entitled personnel. In a few cases out-patient treatment is also provided by the Priory Group where a consultant states that a patient requires a short course of outpatient follow-up or continuation of therapy (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy). Upon leaving the armed forces, or on demobilisation for Reservists, it is the long established practice that responsibility for medical care passes to the NHS. The MOD has no plans to extend the role of the Priory group in its treatment of serving personnel, or to extend this to retired personnel.

RAF Halton

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for RAF Halton; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 4 December 2006
	The MOD estate is kept under continuous review to ensure that it is the right size and quality to support the delivery of Defence capability. There are no current plans to change the use of RAF Halton, with the exception of a small element which may be affected by the Defence Training Review Rationalisation Programme. A review of officer and airmen development is also under way and this may affect a number of units at RAF stations, including some at RAF Halton. No decisions have yet been taken.

RAF Menwith Hill: Demonstration

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of policing at the recent demonstration at RAF Menwith Hill on 7 October; and who paid for the cost of the policing.

Derek Twigg: The cost of policing at the recent demonstration at RAF Menwith Hill on 7 October totalled £11,786.52. In accordance with the 1989 memorandum of understanding between the United Kingdom and the United States Governments, the United States Government paid for the police officers stationed full-time at Menwith Hill, the cost of which was £2,526.88. The MOD paid for officers deployed for the demonstration from the divisional support group and operational support units, the cost of which was £9,259.64.

Recruitment

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total  (a) actual and  (b) establishment figures for medical personnel are in the (i) Army, (ii) Navy and (iii) RAF.

Derek Twigg: The following table illustrates the Establishment and Trained Strength of qualified medical personnel in the three single Services as at 1 July 2006.
	
		
			  Single Service  Establishment  Trained strength 
			 Royal Navy 1,310 1,310 
			 Army 4,680 3,490 
			 Royal Air Force 1,750 1,660 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are as at 1 July 2006. 2. Figures are rounded to nearest 10. 3. Figures include some staff working out of specialty in headquarter posts.  Source:  DMSD 
		
	
	As explained in a previous answer to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey) on 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1692W, "Establishment" is the listing of an individual unit's funded appointments/posts.
	It is different to the "Requirement", which is those posts necessary to support Defence Planning Assumptions. In light of the defence planning assumptions contained in Defence Strategic Guidance 05, revised manning requirement figures are expected to be available before the end of this year. The new requirement figures will indicate the number and type of Defence Medical Services (DMS) personnel necessary to support operations and those needed in non-operational posts requiring uniformed personnel.

Royal Fleet Reserve

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why he intends to increase the number of Royal Fleet Reserve (marine officers and marines) that may be maintained for service; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: There are no plans to increase the size of the Royal Fleet Reserves (RFR). Currently all naval Service personnel, on leaving the Regular Navy and Marines, have a liability for service in the RFR that automatically ceases after a fixed period of time. The actual numbers of personnel on the RFR are therefore self-regulatory and will vary from month to month.

Royal Navy

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of personnel were deemed to have worked excessive hours in the Royal Navy in each year since 2001.

Derek Twigg: The results of recent surveys of working patterns, involving approximately 6,000 Naval personnel, indicate that the proportion of Royal Naval personnel working excessive hours in each year since 2001 were:
	
		
			  Financial year ( 1) RN excessive hours (%) 
			 2001-02 23 
			 2002-03 26 
			 2003-04 16 
			 2004-05 16 
			 2005-06 20 
			 (1) deemed to be proportion of Naval Service working more than 70 hours per week. The valid response rate was 49.4 per cent.

Royal Navy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy ships are at sea  (a) without key equipment and  (b) with equipment which is not working; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Royal Navy ships are permanently fitted with the equipment needed for their envisaged tasking and are adaptable for a wide range of other contingent tasks. The equipment required by ships for specific tasks, and the temporary defects that could affect their operations, would allow an assessment to be made of the operational capability of the fleet and disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness and security of our armed forces.

Saudi Arabia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether  (a) he and  (b) other Ministers in his Department plan to visit Saudi Arabia in the next three months.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 30 November 2006
	It is not our practice to announce travel arrangements of Government Ministers prior to the visits. The future visit programme for Defence Ministers is continuously under review.

Secondments

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which staff in his Department are seconded from organisations with charitable status; and which have  (a) costs and  (b) salaries met (i) in part and (ii) in whole (A) from public funds and (B) by the charity from which they are seconded.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Service Pay

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average pay for a sergeant in the British Army was in 2005-06.

Derek Twigg: In 2005-06, the basic pay for a sergeant in the British Army ranged between £25,973 and £31,956, depending on the seniority and the trade of the individual concerned. In addition to their basic pay, Sergeants may also receive specialist pay and allowances (eg Parachute Pay and Longer Separated Service Allowance) provided they meet the relevant eligibility criteria.

Service Pay

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has made an assessment of the pay and conditions of members of the armed services of each NATO country undertaking joint operations.

Derek Twigg: The independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) commissioned research for its 2002 report into the military remuneration packages offered by 10 Commonwealth and NATO countries (including USA, Australia, Canada and France). This indicated that none of the countries surveyed provided a more generous package across-the-board. The research took account of basic pay, including relevant tax arrangements, allowances for operations, the disadvantages of military life, pension arrangements, accommodation charges, annual and other leave.
	The AFPRB repeated the research for their 2005 report and concluded that the UK package remains broadly comparable with that offered by other nations. Data were provided on 12 countries.
	Australia
	Austria
	Canada
	Denmark
	France
	Germany
	Ireland
	Netherlands
	New Zealand
	Norway
	Spain
	USA
	Of these, only Canada offers higher base pay for certain ranks. When the total package was considered the UK was slightly less favourable than Australia and France, broadly in line with most ranks in Ireland, the USA and Canada and ahead of the other seven countries.

Service Personnel

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the Treasury to ensure that service personnel and their families who are unable to provide proof of stable addresses have access to credit.

Derek Twigg: Officials are working with the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS), the credit reference agencies, the Electoral Commission, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Home Office on the interlinked issues of credit checking, identity verification, card not present credit card transactions and voter registration. Confirming current address in order to access credit is one aspect of this work. Guidance has already been issued to the service community through an information sheet available from the services, Families Federations, HIVE information offices and key websites including the service community area of the MOD website. This will be reviewed once the further work is completed.

Sponsored Students

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2006,  Official Report, column 112W, on sponsored students, what plans he has to combine bursary and cadet databases from each service into a single system.

Derek Twigg: There are no plans to combine each service's bursary and cadetship databases into a single system.

Submarines

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2006,  Official Report, column 173W, on submarines, in what circumstances it has been envisaged that provision for EUFOR-designated submarines may need to be made; whether UK submarines could be used in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: It has not been envisaged that submarines might be required for either EUFOR Althea in Bosnia or EUFOR Democratic Republic Congo.
	The EU Requirements Catalogue, which sets out the capabilities needed for the EU to be able to carry out European Security and Defence Policy operations, recognises the possible need for submarines in some potential missions, for example in enforcing an embargo.
	In our response to the EU Requirements Catalogue we have included submarines among the forces we might potentially be willing to make available to be used in EU led operations. Any request by the EU to use UK submarines would be judged on a case by case basis and in the context of current commitments.

Thermal Imaging

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Vipir thermal imaging sights have been acquired by his Department; what the cost of these was; and how many have been issued to each of the two combat theatres.

Adam Ingram: Around 300 Vipir-2 thermal imaging sights have been acquired at a total cost of approximately £2.75 million. Over 200 of these sights have been issued to the two combat theatres (about 150 to Afghanistan and about 70 to Iraq); just over 10 units are in the repair loop with the remainder to be allocated in accordance with the requirements of commanders in the field.

HEALTH

Adverse Drug Reactions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of inpatients had their hospital stay prolonged by adverse drug reactions in the last 12 months; what her latest estimate is of the proportion of hospital admissions due to adverse drug reactions; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Department does not centrally hold information about the proportion of inpatients who had their hospital stay prolonged by adverse drug reactions. During 2004-05, there were 68,389 finished consultant episodes (FCE) where adverse drug reactions were identified as a secondary diagnosis in hospitals in England.
	A FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. These figures do not represent the number of patients, as an individual may have more than one episode of care within the year. The secondary diagnosis shows diagnoses relevant to the episode of case but will not have been recorded as the main reason for admission. It is also not possible to say whether the drugs were prescribed and administered in hospital or in primary care.

Air Ambulances

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts in England provide funding for air ambulances.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Air ambulances are funded by charities. Since 1 April 2002, the cost of clinical staff on air ambulances should be met by the national health service. It is for NHS trusts to decide whether they provide any additional funding to air ambulance charities.

Audiology

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the inclusion of direct referrals to audiology departments in the scope of the 18-week waiting time target would create a perverse incentive.

Ivan Lewis: The 18 weeks target focuses on hospital consultant pathways. Over time, patients with hearing problems who do not need to see a hospital consultant have increasingly been referred direct to audiology services, enabling services led by ear, nose and throat consultants for example to focus on more complex cases. Direct access services should be quicker for patients because they cut out a stage of the potential pathway, and it would be perverse to reverse this. Nevertheless there are currently long waits for direct access audiology services and the action plan for publication in early 2007 will address this.

Bio Products Laboratory

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Bio Products Laboratory has spent on the purchase of laboratory facilities in the United States in the last five years; and what assessment she has made of the future of these facilities.

Caroline Flint: Bio Products Laboratory does not own laboratory facilities in the United States.

Care Homes

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care homes there are for veterans; and how many have been closed in the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that the information is not collected in the format requested.
	In January 2007, CSCI will publish information on the number of care homes and places in England and how they perform against national minimum standards and regulations in its State of Social Care report.

Clinical and Assessment Treatment Support Services

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the likely percentage of out-patients in  (a) musculoskeletal (orthopaedics and rheumatology),  (b) general surgery,  (c) ear, nose and throat,  (d) gynaecology and  (e) urology who will be referred to clinical and assessment treatment support services in Lancashire and Cumbria in each of the next three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally. It is the responsibility of NHS North West which includes the former Cumbria and Lancashire strategic health authority area, to plan surgical capacity, and develop the requirement for the independent sector services across Cumbria and Lancashire.
	The Department has carried out capacity mapping analyses of the proposed scheme.

Clinical and Assessment Treatment Support Services

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether sites have been identified in Lancashire and Cumbria for the location of clinical and assessment treatment support services.

Rosie Winterton: Netcare in consultation with the Department, NHS North West and local primary care trusts has proposed the following sites for the clinical assessment and treatment service:
	Preston Healthport;
	Workington Community Hospital;
	Ulverston Community Health Centre;
	Ormskirk and District General Hospital;
	The Beardwood Hospital, Blackburn;
	The Burnley LIFT Centre;
	Fleetwood Community Hospital; and
	Hill Top Heights, Carlisle.

Clinical and Assessment Treatment Support Services

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether GPs are required to refer a specific percentage of patients to the independent sector clinical and assessment treatment support services rather than to NHS secondary care providers.

Caroline Flint: General practitioners are not required to refer patients to a particular service provider, but are expected to help patients decide on the best treatment option for them. Guidance on referral management centres and other similar arrangements was set out in the commissioning framework published on 13 July 2006.

Community Treatment Orders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the report International experiences of using community treatment orders; when she received the report; what assessment she has made of its findings; what consideration she has given to its policy implications; what discussion she has had of its findings with  (a) the authors of the report and  (b) policy officials; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department of Health has commissioned research to look at international experiences of implementing community treatment orders (CTOs). The Department has not yet received the complete report of the findings and so it would be inappropriate to discuss the report at this stage. We expect to publish the findings when the research is completed. When it is completed, there will be an assessment of the findings and of any policy implications.

Documentation

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems are in place within her Department to prevent the unintended destruction of documentation.

Ivan Lewis: The Department continues to implement well established policies and procedures for managing documents and files in accordance with its administrative needs and the Public Records Act.
	The Public Records Act requires staff to identify documents arising from their work that should form part of the official record. These are saved for as long as business needs require and stored corporately in accordance with departmental record management procedures.
	Once documents have been stored in corporate record keeping systems they are protected from unintended destruction by system controls, clear guidance on managing records, and a strong audit trail. Electronic records are further protected by regular data backups.

Donor Relationship Management IT System

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost of the introduction of the donor relationship management IT system.

Caroline Flint: NHS Blood and Transplant estimates that the cost of the introduction of the new donor Relationship Management IT system will be £2 million.

Fishburn Hedges

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much NHS Blood and Transplant has spent on  (a) consultancy services provided by Fishburn Hedges on its communications strategy,  (b) the Promguide Management Resources assessment of donor services,  (c) the Branded study of donor marketing and  (d) brokerage charges to the Central Office of Information related to the Branded study of donor marketing.

Caroline Flint: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for managing blood supplies in England and north Wales. It does this through the National Blood Service (NBS).
	NBS has advised that this information is commercial in confidence. NBS engaged Branded and the Central Office of Information to report on the NBS's marketing strategy and effectiveness. The review was undertaken jointly by Branded and COI. A brokerage fee was not paid by the NBS.

Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individual responses to the former Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority's Making It Better consultation were submitted by  (a) letter,  (b) email,  (c) petition and  (d) other means; and how many of these were in support of the retention of maternity services at Fairfield Hospital, Bury in each category.

Rosie Winterton: A comprehensive analysis of responses to the Making it Better public consultation has been carried out by Tribal on behalf of NHS North West.
	The analysis can be found at:
	http://www.bestforhealth.nhs.uk/page.asp?pagekey=508&branchkey=l

Halliburton

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private finance initiative and public private partnership contracts with her Department and its agencies have been won by Halliburton or its subsidiaries in each year since 1997; what the terms were of each contract; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: No private finance initiative or other public private partnership contracts with the Department, its agencies or the national health service have been won by Halliburton or its subsidiaries.

Health Authority: Bilborough

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contribution the NHS is making to the development of a health authority in Bilborough, Nottingham; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Department is unaware of any NHS contribution to the development of a health authority in Bilborough, Nottingham.

Health Care Expenditure

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the spending per 100,000 population on health services  (a) in Birmingham,  (b) in the West Midlands,  (c) in England and  (d) by each primary care trust is in 2006-07.

Rosie Winterton: Information on 2006-07 spending from the annual accounts of national health service bodies will not be available until the autumn of 2007. Tables showing the 2006-07 allocations per 100,000 population which were made to 303 primary care trusts (PCTs) have been placed in the Library. The number of PCTs reduced from 303 to 152 on 1 October 2006.

Healthcare Commission

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken to reduce the average time it takes the Healthcare Commission to deal with complaints.

Andy Burnham: The Healthcare Commission assumed responsibility for the second stage of the national health service complaints process (complaints where the complainant is dissatisfied with the action taken at local level) in August 2004. Under the previous NHS system there were about 3,400 review requests a year; the Healthcare Commission expected that it might receive up to 5,000 requests. Since August 2004, the Commission has received around 8,000 requests a year for independent review.
	The Department is working with the Healthcare Commission to improve the way in which cases are handled and reduce the backlog of cases which has built up. Actions taken by the commission include:
	in March 2006, it introduced an initial review process with a view to dealing with 65 per cent. of cases within eight weeks;
	it has made available additional internal resources to fund 25 additional temporary case-handling staff to deal with the oldest cases;
	it has recruited a business process expert to review procedures and make changes to improve the efficiency with which cases are handled;
	it is taking steps to share the lessons learned from the cases it has reviewed; and
	it has commissioned a national audit of complaints handling at local level which will feed into the annual healthcheck process in 2006-07 to encourage best practice by trusts in complaints handling and to focus efforts on local resolution of cases.
	The Department has introduced new regulations which extend the flexibility for local NHS organisations to respond to patients. This should reduce the number of complaints reaching the Healthcare Commission. The Department is also looking at common areas of complaint to see whether further advice could be given to the NHS which might lead to fewer people having cause for complaint.

Influenza

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Department is spending on  (a) stock piling influenza vaccines and  (b) research into methods of preventing an influenza pandemic.

Caroline Flint: In relation to pandemic influenza vaccines, we have purchased 3.3 million doses of H5N1 vaccine at a cost of £33 million.
	We continue to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to research methods of preventing a pandemic. In particular, strong epidemiological surveillance in South East Asia to detect outbreaks early and a strengthened rapid response capacity is of utmost importance. To support these efforts, the Department has already contributed £500,000 to the WHO.

IVF Treatment

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost was to the NHS of IVF treatment in the last 12 months for which figures are available; whether she has any plans to restrict the availability of IVF treatments on the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Information on the cost of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) to the national health service is not collected centrally. The primary responsibility for the provision of fertility services, and the implementation of the clinical guideline produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in 2004, rests with the NHS at local level. We have no plans to ask primary care trusts (PCTs) to restrict the availability of IVF and we are working with the patient support organisation Infertility Network UK to help PCTs engage with fertility patients in the planning and prioritisation of services.

Mannitol Powder

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice the Department offers to pharmacists on the purchase and supply of mannitol powder; what measures she has put in place to prevents its illicit use; and whether she has plans for further restrictions on its availability.

Ivan Lewis: None. As far as licensed medicinal products are concerned, mannitol is available as an intravenous infusion and is a prescription only medicine which means that pharmacists may only dispense it against a prescription issued by an appropriate practitioner. Mannitol is also used widely as an excipient (i.e. an inactive ingredient) by the pharmaceutical industry in the manufacture of other medicinal products.
	There are no specific measures in place to prevent illicit use. Adulterants and bulking agents mixed with controlled drugs are not usually controlled where they are not psychoactive themselves or precursors to psychoactive drugs of misuse.
	There are no plans for further restrictions on availability. There is an established mechanism to allow proper consideration of making drugs of misuse controlled. The advisory council on the misuse of drugs (the expert body that advises Ministers) is made aware of problems posed by specific drugs, or where they are requested by Ministers to consider a specific drug, they will undertake a detailed assessment of whether or not a substance ought to be controlled and make appropriate recommendations to Ministers.

Maternity Care

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the reconfiguration of maternity services in Peterborough; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and departmental officials are not aware of any immediate plans to reconfigure maternity services in Peterborough.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish Louis Appleby's report Avoidable Deaths: Five year report of the national confederation inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness.

Rosie Winterton: This report was published by the university of Manchester on 4 December 2006, and copies have been placed in the Library.

Midwife-led Birthing Units

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will seek assurances that midwife-led birthing units in Romsey, Hythe and Lymington will not close before the proposed birthing unit at Ashurst opens; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the local national health service. It is for trusts, with their specialised knowledge of the local community, to effectively manage and improve local services.

Ministerial Meetings

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she last discussed NHS service provision with the Chair of the Labour Party.

Ivan Lewis: The Secretary of State for Health met with the Chair of the Labour Party on 3 July. The Department does not hold minutes or a record of this meeting, and no departmental officials attended. The Secretary of State for Health regularly meets with fellow Cabinet colleagues to discuss a variety of issues.

Ministerial Visits

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS establishments in the St. Albans constituency Ministers in her Department have visited in the last 12 months.

Ivan Lewis: The Department's Ministers have neither been invited to, nor visited, any national health service establishments in the St. Albans constituency in the last 12 months.

Multiple Sclerosis

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what formal changes have been made to the multiple sclerosis risk sharing scheme since its inception;
	(2)  what proportion of patients in the risk sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis patients have been assessed in relation to predicted clinical outcomes; what proportion fell below predicted outcomes; and to what extent drug prices for these patients have been reduced;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the risk sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis patients; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  how many patients resident in England had been invited to join the Department of Health risk sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis patients by March; and what proportion consented to join.

Ivan Lewis: There have been no significant changes made to the multiple sclerosis risk-sharing scheme itself since its inception in May 2002. There has, however, been a change in the scheme co-ordinator from the Sheffield School of Health and Allied Research to Parexel Ltd.
	This is a United Kingdom wide scheme and a cohort of around 5,200 patients is being monitored on a routine basis. Information on the numbers of patients who did not consent to join the scheme is unavailable, but treatment is not dependent on participation in the scheme.
	The first analysis of data from the scheme will take place in summer 2007. We have no plans to make a separate assessment of the scheme's effectiveness.

NHS Dentistry

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent NHS general dental practitioners there are in York; and how many there were in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: Full-time equivalent information on the national health services dental work force is not centrally available. However, the numbers of NHS dentists has been provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of dentists on open NHS contracts in Selby and York primary care trust (PCT) as at 31 March 2004-06 and 30 June 2006 
			   Number 
			  31 March:  
			 2004 129 
			 2005 134 
			 2006 146 
			   
			  30 June:  
			 2006 108 
			  Notes: 1. Information as at 30 June 2006 is based on the new NHS dental contractual arrangements between providers and PCTs which was introduced on 1 April 2006. Data prior to this are based on the old dental contractual arrangements between principal dentists and PCTs and therefore, are not directly comparable. 2. Most NHS dentists do some private work. Figures provided do not take into account the proportion of NHS work undertaken by dentists. 3. Figures for the numbers of dentists at specified dates may vary depending on the date the figures are compiled. This is because the NHS BSA may be notified of joiners or leavers up to several months, or more, after the move has taken place. Information is up to date as at 21 November 2006.  Sources: 1. The Information Centre for health and social care 2. NHS Business Services Authority (BSA)

NHS Dentistry

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on NHS general dental services in York and Selby in  (a) cash and  (b) real terms in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The main element of national health service dental services in previous years were the primary dental care services provided by dentists working within the general dental service (GDS), or personal dental service (PDS) pilots. The following tables display the readily available data on expenditure on these services in the Selby and York primary care trust area. The difference between gross and net expenditure is the contribution to costs from dental charges collected directly from patients. Note that data on PDS expenditure are only available from 2004-05 onwards.
	New local commissioning arrangements for primary dental care were introduced from 1 April 2006.
	
		
			  GDS and PDS dental payments within Selby and York PCT (£ million. cash terms)( 1,2,3,4) 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Gross GDS 8.908 9.439 9.792 7.617 3.510 
			 Net GDS 5.625 5.867 6.273 5.041 2.644 
			 Gross PDS n/a n/a n/a 2.390 8.035 
			 Net PDS n/a n/a n/a 1.927 6.282 
			 Gross GDS and PDS 8.908 9.439 9.792 10.007 11.545 
			 Net GDS and PDS 5.625 5.867 6.273 6.968 8.926 
			 (1) Gross GDS payments include adult fees (including item of service and continuing care payments), child fees (including item of service and capitation payments), commitment payments and point of treatment check payment training (in 2001 only), seniority payments, maternity/paternity/adoptive leave payments, long term sick leave payments, continuing professional development allowances including travel hours, reimbursement of business rates, vocational training grants and clinical audit payments. The following costs are excluded from this data: employer's superannuation costs, vocational trainee salaries and NI contribution costs, clinical audit convenors, clinical audit secretarial support costs and travel expenses, and costs associated with any salaried general dental practitioners and emergency dental services. (2) PDS payment data are included from 2004-05 onwards only and relate to baseline payments or the agreed regular monthly payments made to PDS practices. Reliable PDS data at practice level are not available prior to 2004-05. The data cannot identify the cost of any PDS services that are directly managed by local NHS trusts, such as certain dental access centres. (3) Payments are assigned to areas on the basis of practice postcode data. (4) Net payments represent the balance of payments due after taking account of NHS dental charge income collected from patients by dental practices. 
		
	
	
		
			  GDS and PDS dental payments within Selby and York PCT  (£ million. at 2005-06 prices)( 1) 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Gross GDS 9.901 10.178 10.254 7.761 3.510 
			 Net GDS 6.253 6.326 6.568 5.137 2.644 
			 Gross PDS n/a n/a n/a 2.436 8.035 
			 Net PDS n/a n/a n/a 1.964 6.282 
			 Gross GDS and PDS 9.901 10.178 10.254 10.197 11.545 
			 Net GDS and PDS 6.253 6.326 6.568 7.101 8.926 
			 (1) Figures have been converted into 2005-06 prices using the September 2006 GDP deflator index.

NHS Dentistry

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) adult and  (b) child patients are registered with a NHS general dental practice in York and Selby; and how many were registered at six monthly intervals over the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  General dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS): Patient registrations, by child and adult in Selby and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) as at 31 March and 30 September each year between 2001-06 
			Adults  Children 
			 2001 March 107,829 42,276 
			  September 109,027 42,130 
			 2002 March 110,148 41,783 
			  September 110,430 41,247 
			 2003 March 113,355 41,966 
			  September 126,294 45,373 
			 2004 March 117,127 43,230 
			  September 93,248 35,999 
			 2005 March 111,872 42,641 
			  September 105,597 40,808 
			 2006 March 109,539 42,932 
			  Notes: 1. The postcode of the dental practice was used to allocate dentists to specific geographic areas. PCT areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics all fields postcode directory.  2. Dentists consist of principals, assistant and trainees. Information on NHS dentistry in the community dental service, in hospitals and in prisons is excluded. 3. The data in this report are based on national health service dentists on PCT lists. These details were passed on to the Business Services Authority (BSA) who paid dentists based on activity undertaken. A dentist can provide as little or as much NHS treatment as he or she chooses or has agreed with the PCT. In some cases an NHS dentist may appear on a PCT list but not perform any NHS work in that period. Most NHS dentists do some private work. The data do not take into account the proportion of NHS work undertaken by dentists. 4. PDS schemes had varying registration periods. To ensure comparability with corresponding GDS data, PDS registrations are estimated using "proxy registrations", namely the number of patients seen by PDS practices in the previous 15 months. PDS proxy registrations were not estimated for periods before September 2003—actual registrations were used before this date.  5. Data for 2003 and earlier do not include those PDS schemes that do not have any registrations, eg dental access centres, and are therefore not directly comparable with later data.

NHS Dentistry

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate was made of the likely income from NHS dental charges in Northumberland for 2006-07; and how much income has been received to date.

Rosie Winterton: The primary dental service resource allocation for 2006-07 for the Northumberland care trust as at 31 July 2006 is set out in the following table. This excludes any additional resources that may be distributed by the NHS North East specifically to fund any individual dental vocational trainee postings.
	
		
			  Northumberland care trust 
			   Amount (£) 
			 Gross budget 13,910,210 
			 Expected patient charge income 5,210,043 
			 Net allocation(1) 8,700,000 
			 (1) Rounded to nearest thousand. 
		
	
	Actual levels of charge income will depend on a range of variables including the service levels, i.e. the annual units of dental activity, agreed for each local contract with dentists and the relative proportions of chargeable and non-chargeable treatments carried out during the year. The in-year management and monitoring of these allocations is the responsibility of the individual primary care trusts.

NHS Estate

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what area of land was sold in each land sale carried out at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury by  (a) her Department and  (b) the Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust in the last two years; who the purchaser was in each case; what the capital receipt obtained by the vendor was in each case; what share of the capital receipt was invested in NHS services in or near Aylesbury; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: During the past two years, approximately 0.13 hectares of land at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in public ownership was transferred to Persimmon Homes for a consideration of £1. This transaction formed part of the renegotiation of an earlier disposal to Persimmon, which includes the transfer of approximately 0.9 hectares back to the Secretary of State for Health for new staff accommodation.
	Information regarding sale of land by Buckinghamshire Hospitals national health service trust is not held centrally. It is a matter for the local NHS to determine how best to use their resources to meet local health needs.

NHS Jobs

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what format data on NHS jobs at a local level  (a) are being collected in 2006-07 and  (b) were collected in 1997-98.

Rosie Winterton: The NHS Jobs e-recruitment service went live in 2003. NHS employers manage the service on behalf of national health service organisations. The system provides up to date data on NHS jobs on request, which can be used locally, regionally and nationally.

NHS Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate her Department has made of the total number of redundancies which will take place in NHS organisations in the 2006-07 financial year in order to arrive at the estimated £70 million additional costs of redundancy described in paragraph 1.6, page 2, of her Department's document NHS Financial Performance Quarter 2 2006-07;
	(2)  if she will express in constant prices the figures given in Table 1 of the answer of 8 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1875W.

Ivan Lewis: The Department intends to publish actual national health service redundancy data on a quarterly basis.
	The most recent actual redundancy data were collected from the NHS as at the end of September, and then published in the NHS Financial Performance Report for quarter 2 of 2006-07. At the end of September, the NHS reported 903 compulsory redundancies.
	The impact of age discrimination legislation is a factor to be considered by strategic health authorities when preparing their forecast positions. It is not helpful otherwise to the NHS to engage in speculation about the number of any further redundancies.

NHS Trusts

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average debt incurred is by NHS trusts from private finance initiative projects.

Andy Burnham: There is no direct correlation between a national health service trust meeting its private finance initiative unitary charge and incurring a deficit. Unitary payments, paid for from an NHS trust's general revenue allocations, are just one component of an NHS trust's total expenditure.
	Of the 179 primary care trusts and NHS trusts showing a deficit in the published audited accounts for 2006-07 national accounts, 17 have an operational private finance initiative project.

Private Finance Initiative

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total capital value is of each private finance initiative scheme overseen by her Department which has reached financial close; over what period repayments will take place; and what the total cost of repayment will be.

Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 25 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1969W, and the table that is available in the Library.

Protection of Vulnerable Adults

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been added to the Protection of Vulnerable Adults list since it was set up; and how many and what proportion of those were care home managers.

Ivan Lewis: As at 31 October 2006, the latest date for which figures are available, there have been 5,439 referrals made to the protection of vulnerable adults (POVA) list, which was established on 26 July 2004.
	Data by occupation are not recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. According to a study carried-out by the Kings College London on behalf of the Department in July 2005, out of the first 100 referrals made to the POVA list, six care home managers were referred, of which one care home manager was confirmed on the POVA list. The detail of the study is available at:
	www.dh.gsi.gov.uk/pova.
	In a current study being carried out by Kings College London, out of a sample of 300 referral cases, 16 care home managers were referred of which eight cases were confirmed on the POVA list. This study will be published shortly.

Royal Free Hospital

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps are being taken by the Royal Free hospital to reduce cases of MRSA; what progress has been made in reducing cases; and what proportion of patients at the Royal Free arrive at the hospital with MRSA;
	(2)  what new  (a) products and  (b) techniques to control MRSA are being trialled at the Royal Free hospital; and what the estimated cost is of these trials.

Andy Burnham: The Department's meticillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) improvement team provided a package of support and advice to the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, tailored to its specific needs in tackling MRSA bacteraemias. They worked closely with key hospital personnel to identify issues which should help the trust develop a practical action plan aimed at speeding up the reduction in the number of infections.
	The latest information on the number of reported cases of MRSA bacteraemias was published by the Health Protection Agency on 24 July. The information for the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 April 2001 to September 2001 68 
			 October 2001 to March 2002 54 
			 April 2002 to September 2002 53 
			 October 2002 to March 2003 48 
			 April 2003 to September 2003 46 
			 October 2003 to March 2004 52 
			 April 2004 to September 2004 37 
			 October 2004 to March 2005 32 
			 April 2005 to September 2005 51 
			 October 2005 to March 2006 42 
		
	
	The Department does not hold data on the proportion of patients arriving at the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust who have MRSA, or on the new products and techniques being trialled at the trust to control MRSA.

Speech and Language Therapy

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many speech and language therapists were employed in each strategic health authority area in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the number of professionally qualified speech and language therapists employed in each strategic health authority in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  Headcount 
			   2003  2004  2005 
			 England 6,243 6,556 6,759 
			 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority 344 366 371 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority 911 949 917 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority 596 637 637 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority 462 467 486 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 649 690 726 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority 573 519 605 
			 London Strategic Health Authority 1,133 1,196 1,285 
			 South East Strategic Health Authority 455 559 539 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority 476 485 497 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority 644 688 696 
			 Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies 0 0 0 
			  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census

Speech and Language Therapy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health why there is no tariff for speech and language therapy; and if she will set a tariff for speech and language therapy.

Andy Burnham: Where speech and language therapy takes place as part of a hospital admission, the costs will be reflected in the relevant tariff price, although there is no separately identifiable tariff for the speech and language therapy component.
	The introduction of a national tariff relies on national standardised data sets and robust cost and activity data collection. For this reason the implementation of a national tariff has begun with hospital-based care, where the data are available. There are limited data available on activity levels and the associated cost of services delivered in the community. As a result there is no tariff for speech and language therapy in the community.
	We intend to consult on the future of payment by results in the new year, and as part of this we will consider the question of extending the national tariff to community services.

Temozolomide

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for Temozolomide have been written in each year since 2000.

Andy Burnham: It is not known how many prescriptions have been written for temozolomide. However, the number of prescription items and associated cost, in terms of net ingredient cost (NCI) for temozolomide dispensed in the community are shown in the following table. This also shows, for the years 2001 to 2005, the estimated costs for use of this drug in hospitals. The data for hospitals have no concept of items or prescriptions, they simply record total usage. Data for 2000 are not available for the full year.
	
		
			   Items dispensed in the community Prescription Cost Analysis  Cost of items dispensed in the community (NCI) PCA (£000)  Cost of drug used in hospitals (NCI) (£000) 
			 2000 32 20.5 — 
			 2001 7 4.7 2530.6 
			 2002 34 36.1 2874.0 
			 2003 7 3.9 3026.9 
			 2004 6 2.4 3843.4 
			 2005 49 35.1 5900.6 
			  Notes: Columns 2 and 3 are taken from the prescription cost analysis system. Column 4 is taken from the data provided by IMS.  Source: IMS HEALTH: Hospital Pharmacy Audit.

Welwyn and Hatfield Hospital

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when and by whom the decision was taken to cancel the new hospital planned for Welwyn and Hatfield.

Andy Burnham: NHS East of England met with chief executives of all national health service organisations in Hertfordshire on 8 November where the decision was made not to continue with the proposals for a new hospital in Hatfield. The newly formed Hertfordshire primary care trusts will be engaging with local communities, public representatives and undertaking further technical work to assess where acute hospital services should be centralised in East and North Hertfordshire.

West Suffolk Hospital

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people have been treated at the West Suffolk hospital NHS trust accident and emergency department outside the hours of 8 am to 8 pm in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people have been treated at the West Suffolk hospital NHS trust accident and emergency department in each year since 1997.

Andy Burnham: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the following table shows the attendances at the accident and emergency department at West Suffolk hospital NHS trust from 1996-07 to 2005-06.
	
		
			   Total attendance 
			 2005-06 44,831 
			 2004-05 42,886 
			 2003-04 39,515 
			 2002-03 38,038 
			 2001-02 36,086 
			 2000-01 34,352 
			 1999-2000 35,033 
			 1998-99 33,506 
			 1997-98 32,472 
			 1996-97 31,659 
			  Source: Department of Health datasets QMAE and KHO9

TREASURY

Agency Workers

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of agency workers in  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time employment in each region.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 5 December 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about agency workers. I am replying in her absence. (107508)
	The attached table shows the number of full-time and part-time employee jobs in recruitment and employment agencies for each region of Great Britain. The figures shown are for 2004, the latest period for which this information is available. They represent jobs rather than people and some workers may have more than one job with different employers.
	These estimates are from the Annual Business Inquiry and, as with any sample survey, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Full-time and part-time jobs in recruitment and employment agencies( 1)  by region of workplace, Great Britain, 2004 
			  Thousand 
			  Government office region  Total  Full-time( 2)  Part-time( 3) 
			 North East 19 14 5 
			 North West 71 52 20 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 49 37 12 
			 East Midlands 49 37 13 
			 West Midlands 65 45 20 
			 East 61 45 17 
			 London 152 111 41 
			 South East 110 79 31 
			 South West 46 33 13 
			 Wales 19 14 5 
			 Scotland 43 31 12 
			 Total 686 497 189 
			 (1) Employee jobs in Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2003 sub-class 74.50: Labour recruitment and provision of personnel.(  2) Full-time employees are those working over 30 hours per week.  (3) Part-time employees are those working for 30 or fewer hours per week.   Source:  Annual Business Inquiry.

Biscuits

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Treasury provides biscuits to  (a) staff and  (b) guests with its (i) logo and (ii) name baked on; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Treasury does not provide biscuits with its logo or name baked on.

Civil Servants

John Pugh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net gains and losses in civil service jobs under the Government efficiency agenda are in each English region; and what percentage of the number of civil servant jobs in each region each figure represents.

Stephen Timms: The 2004 Spending Review set a target for 84,150 gross work force reductions by March 2008. The Government have made strong progress against these targets and by the end of September 2006 had achieved gross work force reductions of 54,963 posts, of which 9,412 had been reallocated to front-line roles.
	Departments are responsible for implementing their work force targets and HM Treasury does not centrally hold a breakdown by region showing where work force reductions have taken place as part of the Efficiency Programme.

Civil Servants

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will break down by department the 10,574 posts relocated out of London and the South East announced on 23 November in his Department's News Release 97/06.

Stephen Timms: Departments are responsible for implementing their efficiency and relocation programmes and report on progress twice a year, in autumn performance reports and departmental reports. 2006 autumn performance reports will contain the relocation figures that contributed to the 10,574 total announced on the 23 November.

Demographics

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residents of London are estimated to be from ethnic minorities.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 5 December 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question regarding the number of residents of London estimated to be from ethnic minorities. I am replying in her absence. (107194)
	The ONS' experimental Population Estimates by Ethnic Group estimate that, at mid-2004, 2.2 million of the 7.4 million people resident in London (30.2%) were from an ethnic group other than the White ethnic group.

Demographics

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which 20 foreign language communities in London are estimated to be the most numerous.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 5 December 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question regarding the 20 largest foreign language communities in London. I am replying in her absence. (107195)
	The Office for National Statistics does not produce estimates of the number of people speaking different languages in London, although the topic of language is being considered for inclusion in the 2011 Census. Some exploratory estimates on language have been carried out by academics working on the topic, based on school administrative records of pupils' first language spoken at home.
	The Labour Force Survey collects information every 3 years about adults' first language spoken at home. This focuses on UK languages and would not fully answer your query. However, you may be interested to know that estimates from the 2003 Labour Force Survey showed that just under one in five (18 per cent) of Londoners aged 16 and over use a first language other than English at home (see Greater London Authority, DMAG briefing 2006 no. 26: 'A profile of Londoners by language: an analysis of Labour Force Survey data on first language' http://www.london.gov.uk/gla/publications/factsandfigures/dmag-briefing-2006-26.pdf).

Departmental Overspend

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the Department of Health's overspend on its near-cash revenue resource limit in 2005-06.

Stephen Timms: The Chancellor has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues and others on a wide range of issues.

Departmental Staff

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed to work full-time on websites maintained by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies.

John Healey: The Treasury employs four full-time equivalent staff on websites. Treasury agencies employ a total of 34.3 full-time employees.

Economic Inactivity Rate

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the economic inactivity rate for  (a) men and  (b) women was in each region and country in each quarter from the start of 2004.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 5 December 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about economic inactivity rates by gender, region and country from 2004 to 2006. I am replying in her absence. (107341)
	The attached table gives estimates of inactivity rates by gender, region and country of residence for people of working age for every quarter since the three-month period ending March 2004.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Inactivity rates( 1)  for people of working age( 2)  by gender and region of residence 2004 to 2006 United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			  United Kingdom   All persons  Males  Females 
			 2004 Q1 21.3 16.2 26.7 
			  Q2 21.5 16.4 26.9 
			  Q3 21.5 16.5 26.9 
			  Q4 21.3 16.4 26.6 
			  
			 2005 Q1 21.4 16.4 26.7 
			  Q2 21.5 16.6 26.7 
			  Q3 21.3 16.6 26.5 
			  Q4 21.4 16.5 26.7 
			  
			 2006 Q1 21.1 16.5 26.1 
			  Q2 21.0 16.3 26.0 
			  Q3 21.0 16.1 26.3 
			  
			  Great Britain 
			 2004 Q1 21.1 16.1 26.5 
			  Q2 21.3 16.2 26.6 
			  Q3 21.4 16.4 26.7 
			  Q4 21.2 16.3 26.4 
			  
			 2005 Q1 21.2 16.3 26.5 
			  Q2 21.3 16.5 26.5 
			  Q3 21.2 16.5 26.3 
			  Q4 21.3 16.4 26.5 
			  
			 2006 Q1 21.0 16.4 26.0 
			  Q2 20.9 16.2 25.9 
			  Q3 20.8 15.9 26.1 
			  
			  England 
			 2004 Q1 21.0 15.8 26.5 
			  Q2 21.2 16.0 26.7 
			  Q3 21.2 16.1 26.7 
			  Q4 21.1 16.0 26.6 
			  
			 2005 Q1 21.2 16.0 26.7 
			  Q2 21.2 16.2 26.6 
			  Q3 21.2 16.3 26.4 
			  Q4 21.2 16.2 26.6 
			  
			 2006 Q1 20.8 16.1 26.0 
			  Q2 20.7 15.8 26.0 
			  Q3 20.7 15.6 26.2 
			  
			  North East 
			 2004 Q1 25.9 22.0 30.0 
			  Q2 26.0 22.6 29.7 
			  Q3 25.4 22.2 28.8 
			  Q4 25.3 21.9 28.9 
			  
			 2005 Q1 25.3 22.0 28.9 
			  Q2 24.6 21.0 28.4 
			  Q3 25.3 21.5 29.2 
			  Q4 25.0 21.1 29.1 
			  
			 2006 Q1 23.9 20.2 27.9 
			  Q2 23.5 19.5 27.9 
			  Q3 23.8 19.8 27.9 
			  
			  North West 
			 2004 Q1 22.5 18.4 26.9 
			  Q2 22.7 18.9 26.8 
			  Q3 23.0 19.4 26.9 
			  Q4 22.3 17.9 27.0 
			  
			 2005 Q1 23.0 19.1 27.1 
			  Q2 23.2 19.3 27.3 
			  Q3 22.9 19.8 26.3 
			  Q4 23.3 20.0 26.8 
			  
			 2006 Q1 22.7 19.5 26.2 
			  Q2 22.5 19.2 26.1 
			  Q3 22.1 18.0 26.4 
			  
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 2004 Q1 22.0 17.3 27.0 
			  Q2 22.3 17.4 27.4 
			  Q3 22.1 17.4 27.0 
			  Q4 21.8 17.1 26.9 
			  
			 2005 Q1 22.0 17.3 27.1 
			  Q2 21.9 16.9 27.2 
			  Q3 21.6 16.6 27.1 
			  Q4 21.2 16.2 26.6 
			  
			 2006 Q1 21.5 17.1 26.2 
			  Q2 21.3 16.8 26.0 
			  Q3 21.7 16.5 27.3 
			  
			  East Midlands 
			 2004 Q1 19.8 15.3 24.7 
			  Q2 20.3 15.5 25.6 
			  Q3 21.1 16.0 26.6 
			  Q4 20.5 16.2 25.2 
			  
			 2005 Q1 20.2 15.2 25.5 
			  Q2 20.1 15.6 25.0 
			  Q3 19.2 14.9 23.9 
			  Q4 18.9 14.5 23.8 
			  
			 2006 Q1 18.8 14.5 23.6 
			  Q2 18.6 14.3 23.2 
			  Q3 18.5 14.3 23.1 
			  
			  West Midlands 
			 2004 Q1 21.7 16.6 27.2 
			  Q2 21.6 16.4 27.4 
			  Q3 20.9 15.4 26.9 
			  Q4 21.3 16.5 26.5 
			  
			 2005 Q1 21.6 16.2 27.5 
			  Q2 21.8 16.2 28.0 
			  Q3 22.2 17.0 27.9 
			  Q4 22.4 16.6 28.7 
			  
			 2006 Q1 22.0 16.7 27.8 
			  Q2 21.6 16.7 26.9 
			  Q3 21.2 15.5 27.3 
			  
			  East 
			 2004 Q1 17.5 12.1 23.3 
			  Q2 17.8 12.7 23.3 
			  Q3 18.1 13.1 23.4 
			  Q4 18.0 12.6 23.9 
			  
			 2005 Q1 18.0 12.5 23.9 
			  Q2 18.1 12.6 23.9 
			  Q3 18.0 12.3 24.3 
			  Q4 18.7 13.2 24.6 
			  
			 2006 Q1 18.6 13.5 24.1 
			  Q2 18.9 12.9 25.5 
			  Q3 18.9 13.2 25.1 
			  
			  London 
			 2004 Q1 24.5 17.3 32.1 
			  Q2 24.5 17.3 32.3 
			  Q3 25.1 18.0 32.8 
			  Q4 25.3 18.4 32.6 
			  
			 2005 Q1 25.0 18.2 32.2 
			  Q2 25.2 18.6 32.3 
			  Q3 25.3 18.7 32.4 
			  Q4 25.1 18.2 32.4 
			  
			 2006 Q1 24.2 17.2 31.7 
			  Q2 24.4 17.3 31.9 
			  Q3 24.2 17.0 31.9 
			  
			  South East 
			 2004 Q1 18.2 12.5 24.2 
			  Q2 18.2 12.5 24.2 
			  Q3 17.9 12.6 23.6 
			  Q4 17.9 12.4 23.8 
			  
			 2005 Q1 18.0 12.7 23.7 
			  Q2 17.8 12.9 23.1 
			  Q3 17.8 12.8 23.2 
			  Q4 17.7 12.7 23.0 
			  
			 2006 Q1 17.4 12.8 22.4 
			  Q2 17.1 12.4 22.2 
			  Q3 17.3 12.5 22.5 
			  
			  South West 
			 2004 Q1 18.3 14.2 22.7 
			  Q2 18.9 14.5 23.6 
			  Q3 18.6 13.8 23.6 
			  Q4 18.6 13.8 23.7 
			  
			 2005 Q1 18.2 13.7 23.0 
			  Q2 18.5 14.6 22.7 
			  Q3 18.6 15.0 22.5 
			  Q4 18.9 15.0 23.1 
			  
			 2006 Q1 18.9 15.2 22.9 
			  Q2 18.4 14.6 22.7 
			  Q3 18.9 15.3 22.8 
			  
			  Wales 
			 2004 Q1 23.7 19.7 28.0 
			  Q2 24.1 19.6 29.0 
			  Q3 24.9 20.9 29.2 
			  Q4 24.5 21.3 27.9 
			  
			 2005 Q1 24.7 21.5 28.2 
			  Q2 25.1 22.0 28.4 
			  Q3 24.1 20.5 27.9 
			  Q4 24.4 20.5 28.7 
			  
			 2006 Q1 24.8 21.2 28.7 
			  Q2 24.0 20.7 27.6 
			  Q3 23.7 20.2 27.4 
			  
			  Scotland 
			 2004 Q1 20.9 16.9 25.1 
			  Q2 20.5 16.7 24.4 
			  Q3 20.7 16.7 24.8 
			  Q4 20.2 16.7 23.9 
			  
			 2005 Q1 20.1 16.4 24.1 
			  Q2 20.6 16.5 24.9 
			  Q3 20.3 16.4 24.5 
			  Q4 20.4 16.4 24.5 
			  
			 2006 Q1 20.4 16.9 24.2 
			  Q2 20.8 17.8 23.9 
			  Q3 20.8 17.4 24.2 
			  
			  Northern Ireland 
			 2004 Q1 29.1 22.3 36.2 
			  Q2 29.4 22.5 36.7 
			  Q3 29.4 22.1 37.1 
			  Q4 27.4 21.2 33.9 
			  
			 2005 Q1 27.6 21.2 34.5 
			  Q2 27.8 22.2 33.7 
			  Q3 26.9 21.2 33.0 
			  Q4 28.0 21.8 34.4 
			  
			 2006 Q1 27.3 21.4 33.6 
			  Q2 26.7 20.8 33.0 
			  Q3 27.5 21.7 33.7 
			 (1 )Economically inactive people of working age as a percentage of all persons of working age. (2 )Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.  Source:  ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Economic Statistics

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) interest and  (b) mortgage rates were on 2 May 1997; and what they were in each case on the most recent available date.

John Healey: The following table gives the requested information. Note that "mortgage rate" refers to the average building society mortgage rate.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2 May 1997  Most recent 
			 Bank of England base rate 5.94 5.00 (30 November 2006) 
			 Mortgage rate 6.98 5.22 (September 2006)

Economic Statistics

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) highest and  (b) average mortgage interest rate (i) was between 1992 and 1997 and (ii) has been since 1997.

John Healey: The following table gives the requested information. Note that "mortgage rate" refers to the average building society mortgage rate.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   1992-97  Since 1997 
			 Highest mortgage rate 11.38 7.99 
			 Average mortgage rate 8.10 5.91

Employee Car Ownership

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that any changes to the tax regime governing employee car ownership schemes do not apply retrospectively.

Dawn Primarolo: Budget 2006 announced that HMRC would review the taxation of employee car ownership schemes, and the benefits employees derive from them. The Government will consider the outcome of that review.

Employee Car Ownership

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that HM Revenue and Customs officials are consistent in their application of the employee car ownership taxation regime as it applies to  (a) employees and  (b) employers.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC provides comprehensive guidance to its staff on all aspects of compliance activity and this is in the public domain.

Financial Action Task Force

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the UK is scheduled to chair the Financial Action Task Force.

Edward Balls: The UK will assume the Chair of the Financial Action Task Force from July 2007 to June 2008.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that  (a) his Department and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which he is responsible are taking steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (i) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (ii) to promote equality between women and men.

John Healey: Work is under way in the Treasury to ensure the requirements of the forthcoming duty on gender equality are met. The Treasury will publish a Gender Equality Scheme by 30 April 2007.
	Treasury officials are in contact with the non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which the Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible to ensure they are taking the necessary steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (i) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (ii) to promote equality between women and men. All have confirmed that this work is under way.

HM Revenue and Customs

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to announce the new permanent chairman of HM Revenue and Customs.

Dawn Primarolo: An announcement about the appointment of a permanent chairman of HM Revenue and Customs will be made in due course.

HM Revenue and Customs

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs has spent on purchasing Mosaic UK data from Experian and the associated computer systems for its use.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1079W.

Insurance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the options for redress available to consumers who, due to imperfect information at the time of purchase of an off-the-shelf insurance policy, have a claim rejected subsequently.

Edward Balls: The Financial Services Authority's (FSA) rules require that the firm providing an off-the-shelf insurance policy must provide the consumer with a policy summary that, among other things, highlights significant features and benefits of the policy and significant or unusual exclusions, so that customers can check that it is appropriate to their needs.
	In situations where a consumer has a claim against an off-the-shelf insurance policy rejected by the insurer there is generally a right of redress to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) once the consumer has exhausted the options open to them through the firm's own complaint resolution procedures.
	The role of the FOS is to deal with complaints impartially and to make what it believes is a fair and reasonable decision, based on the relevant facts in each individual case.
	The decision of a FOS Ombudsman is binding upon the firm but is non-binding upon the consumer. If the consumer is dissatisfied with this decision (s)he may still take his/her case to the courts.

Office of Government Commerce

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed in the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) in each year since it was established, broken down by OGC programme in each year.

John Healey: The OGC workforce for 2001-06 is given in the table.
	
		
			   As at 1 April each year 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Permanent staff 450 410 380 370 380 360 
			 Casual staff 10 10 10 20 70 70 
			 Total 460 420 390 390 450 430 
		
	
	These numbers have not been broken down by programme, as to do so would incur disproportionate costs.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many parliamentary written questions his Department received in each parliamentary session since 2001; and how many of these questions  (a) were not answered because of disproportionate cost,  (b) were not answered,  (c) received answers referring back to a previous answer (i) asked by the hon. Member and (ii) asked by another hon. Member and (d) were grouped together for answer.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers I gave on 29 November,  Official Report, columns 729-30, to his questions 103974 and 103976.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what target his Department has for the maximum acceptable amount of time to answer parliamentary written questions; and what percentage of parliamentary answers met that target in each parliamentary session since 2001.

John Healey: I refer to the answer I gave on 30 November 2006,  Official Report, column 838W, to an identical question from the hon. Member.

Population Projections

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what population projections for the City of Newcastle upon Tyne for the years 2003 to 2010 are in use; on which years' data each projection was based; and what the mid-year estimate of the population was in each year between 2003 and 2005.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 5 December 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question regarding what projections for the City of Newcastle upon Tyne for the years 2003 to 2010 are in use, on which years' data each projection was based, and what the mid-year estimate of the population was in each year between 2003 and 2005. I am responding in her absence. (107334)
	The Office for National Statistics produces subnational population projections for England approximately every two years. The current projections are 2004-based and were published on 12 October 2006. They start from the 2004 mid year estimate and project forward using local assumptions on births, deaths and migration derived from the five year reference period 1999 to 2004. They are consistent with the official 2004-based national population projections.
	The previous set of projections were 2003-based. These were published in November 2004 and used assumptions derived from the reference period 1998 to 2003 to project forward the 2003 mid year estimate. Though these were superseded by the 2004-based projections they are still being used by some customers who haven't yet incorporated the current set for timing reasons.
	Table 1 shows the 2003-based and the 2004-based projected population for the City of Newcastle upon Tyne for the years 2003 to 2010. Table 2 shows the mid year estimate of the population in each year between 2003 and 2005.
	
		
			  Table 1: Subnational population projections for Newcastle-upon-Tyne 
			  Thousand 
			   2003-based projection  2004-based projection 
			 2003 267 — 
			 2004 265 269 
			 2005 265 272 
			 2006 264 273 
			 2007 263 274 
			 2008 263 275 
			 2009 262 276 
			 2010 262 277 
			  Source: Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Population estimates for Newcastle-upon-Tyne 
			   Population (thousand) 
			 2003 267 
			 2004 269 
			 2005 276 
			  Note:  Population estimates for mid 2005 are the latest available estimates.  Source: Office for National Statistics

Population Projections

Nick Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the population was of Newcastle upon Tyne in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05 and  (c) 2005-06; and what population projections have been made by the Office for National Statistics for that city in each of the next three financial years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 5 December 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the population was for the City of Newcastle upon Tyne for the financial years (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06, and what the projected population is for the next three financial years. I am replying in her absence. (107762)
	The attached table provides the population estimates in Newcastle upon Tyne for 2003, 2004 and 2005 and the projected population for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The figures are estimates of the population at mid-year and are the latest available. The projections are based on the mid-2004 population estimates and as such are not consistent with the 2005 mid-year population estimates. The 2004-based projections are the latest available and they assume that local trends in fertility, mortality and migration over the reference period 2000 to 2004 will continue into the future.
	
		
			  Table 1: Population estimates and subnational population projections for Newcastle-upon-Tyne 
			  Thousand 
			   Mid-year population estimates  2004-based population projections 
			 2003 267 — 
			 2004 269 269 
			 2005 276 272 
			 2006 — 273 
			 2007 — 274 
			 2008 — 275 
			 2009 — 276 
			  Source:  Office for National Statistics

Private Finance Initiative

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many private finance initiative contracts have been terminated early at the initiative of  (a) the provider and  (b) the Government Department;
	(2)  in which private finance initiative projects part of the equity stake has been sold in the secondary market.

John Healey: The Treasury does not collect this information.

Renewable Energy

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of electricity used by his Department was generated from  (a) renewable sources and  (b) on-site microgeneration facilities in the last period for which figures are available.

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much energy consumed by his Department is acquired from renewable sources.

John Healey: All of the Treasury's electricity is generated from renewable sources.

Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee has met since May 1997.

John Healey: None. The Government introduced legislation on 21 November 2006, which will reform the governance arrangements for the Retail Prices Index.

Tax Credits

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 455W, on tax credit, on how many occasions recorded calls have been used to resolve investigations of overpayment; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available.

Tax Credits

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much was waived in relation to overpayments of tax credit claimants as a consequence of official error in each year for which figures are available; and in how many cases this applied;
	(2)  how many complaints were received by HM Revenue and Customs in relation to the recovery of tax credit overpayments in each year for which figures are available, broken down by  (a) tax credit and  (b) region.

Dawn Primarolo: For the number and value of disputed overpayments written off as a result of official error, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Mr. Moore) on 7 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 1040-41W.
	The information requested on complaints about the recovery of tax credits received in HM Revenue and Customs is not available.

Tax Credits

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the tax credits computer system last crashed; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The last time the system went down unexpectedly was on the evening of 28 March 2006 because of a power failure. The system was fully restored to complete working order the following morning.

Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision is made for assessing research and development tax credit claims from companies in Northern Ireland.

John Healey: Companies whose main R&D activities are conducted in Northern Ireland will submit their R&D tax credit claims to the Cardiff R&D unit which will have compliance and outreach roles in respect of those companies.

Tax Credits

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people have been in receipt of tax credits in each Northern Ireland constituency in each year since their introduction, broken down by tax credit type;
	(2)  how many people in receipt of tax credits in each Northern Ireland constituency have been overpaid in each year since their introduction, broken down by tax credit type; and how much was overpaid to people in each constituency in each year, broken down by tax credit type;
	(3)  what percentage of tax credit overpaid in each Northern Ireland constituency has been recovered in each year since their introduction, broken down by tax credit type;
	(4)  how long tax credit overpayments were made, on average, before such overpayments were identified in each Northern Ireland constituency in each year since their introduction, broken down by tax credit type.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates for 2003-04 and 2004-05 of the numbers of in-work families with tax credits awards, including information on overpayments and underpayments by constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes for 2003-04 and 2004-05 are published in "Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards 2003-04. Supplement on Payments in 2003-04. Geographical Analysis" and the "Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards 2004-05. Supplements on Payments in 2004-05. Geographical Analysis". These publications and provisional estimates for the number of in-work families by constituency with tax credit awards as at selected dates in 2005-06 are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm.
	We do not produce statistics separately for child and working tax credits.
	Information on recovery of overpayments is not available at constituency level.
	Information on the average length of time taken to identify an overpayment after it has occurred, in each Northern Ireland constituency, is not available.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what external consultancies the Valuation Office Agency has commissioned  (a) to conduct research and  (b) to provide advice in relation to council tax valuations or revaluations since 2000.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is as follows.
	 (a) ORC International was commissioned to conduct research to test taxpayers' understanding of council tax and council tax revaluation for the now postponed revaluation in England. This work was discontinued following the postponement of the revaluation.
	 (b) I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 July 2005,  Official Report, column 432W.

Winter Fuel Payments

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to increase winter fuel payments to take account of rises in energy prices.

John Healey: The Government have committed to winter fuel payments of £200 for households with someone aged 60 or over, and £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over, for the remainder of this Parliament.
	Tax and welfare policy is reviewed annually as part of the Budget process.